On 14 September 2022, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed by voice vote a resolution introduced by Africa Subcommittee Chair Karen Bass (D-CA) and Ranking Member Chris Smith (R-NJ) reaffirming the significance of the African Union as a strategic international partner to the United States and expressing strong support for partnerships that cultivate intra-African…
Staff Writer Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry, Hon Mangaliso Ndlovu, has said the government through his ministry has partnered with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in equipping customs officials in combating the illegal trade of banned ozone-depleting substances (ODS). In his speech to commemorate World Ozone Day, Hon Ndlovu said he was grateful…
After banning wheat exports in May, India has now banned exports of broken rice, while imposing a 20 percent tariff on exports of unmilled rice, husked brown rice, semi-milled rice, and wholly milled rice, effective from Sept 9. At a time when the Black Sea “food corridor” has just restarted, easing the global food crisis…
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Cameroon and the Commonwealth Secretariat, organized a digital boot camp to build the capacity of women-owned MSMEs in the areas of digital trade and e-commerce/online sales. Capacity-building…
President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia has said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has great potential to address food insecurity and increase trade in pursuit of attaining sustainable development goals (SDGs). He made the remarks in his maiden speech during the 42nd Ordinary Summit of the SADC Heads of State and Government held in the…
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, has a protocol for women and youth to encourage these previously excluded groups to participate meaningfully in trading. According to AfCFTA Article 27 on Technical Assistance, Capacity Building, and Cooperation, State Parties recognise the importance of technical assistance, capacity…
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has announced that facilitated and guided trade will commence soon with huge rewards expected among traders. The announcement of the “Launch of trade” was made on 1 Jan 2021 (Decision of 13th Extraordinary Session of AU Assembly – 5 Dec 2020) – under an ‘interim arrangement’ – (trade…
Zimbabwe will host a Logistics 4.0 and Supply Chain Finance Summit that is an important opportunity to learn about the latest trends, ideas, and developments transforming working capital and supply chain management. Slated for Thursday 29 September 2022 at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, the in-depth event tracks the transformation of supply chain finance,…
The Trade Law Centre (TRALAC) has laid bare the facts about the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which is widely considered the continent’s gamechanger as far as trading is concerned. Spiked Online Media engaged Trudi Hartzenberg, the Executive Director of TRALAC for responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs), and the publication shares the responses…
Darryl Pietersen, Head of Southern Africa, WorldRemit Harare, Zimbabwe…Like many countries in the world, Zimbabwe has over the last two-and-a-half years suffered the worsening effects of the Covid pandemic, which has adversely affected economies through border closures and limitations on trade activities. Zimbabwe’s economy is driven by agriculture, and while Covid pandemic restrictions have…
Zimbabwe is participating in the Meetings Show London in the United Kingdom which runs from 28 to 30 June 2022. This follows the successful launch of the MICE Campaign – MeetInZim, the destination is geared to engage with UK MICE Agents to bring their business delegates to Meet in Zimbabwe. The newly appointed Chief Executive…
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) was part of the Zimbabwe delegation that attended the 2022 Edition of the Commonwealth Business Forum in Kigali, Rwanda held on 21 – 23 June 2022. The Zimbabwe delegation was led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honourable David Musabayana who was supported by his counter Deputy Minister of…
The Great Zimbabwe cultural heritage site plays a pivotal role in the revival of the country’s tourism sector post-CoVID-19 and beyond, the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) reckons. Mr. Lovemore Mandima, the Regional Director for NMMZ Southern Region in an interview with Spiked Online Media, said Great Zimbabwe is indeed great as the…
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) today in Cairo announced the appointment of Kanayo Awani to the position of Executive Vice President of the Intra-African Trade Bank (INAT) with effect from 1 July 2022. The appointment follows a decision by Afreximbank’s Board of Directors on 13 June 2022 to approve a recommendation by Bank President Prof. Benedict…
More than 20 months since India and South Africa first proposed a landmark intellectual property (IP) waiver to lift IP monopolies on COVID-19 medical tools, World Trade Organization (WTO) members reached a decision today at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva. The problematic version of the waiver that was adopted will essentially only waive certain IP on COVID-19…
Draft ministerial decision on intellectual property waiver woefully inadequate Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and more than 150 civil society organizations—including People’s Vaccine Alliance, Oxfam, and Section27 of South Africa—called yesterday on trade ministers at the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva to not accept the current draft of the ministerial…
Trade promotion organizations from Jamaica, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe received this year’s top prizes for launching innovative programmes in their countries that help small firms to benefit from trade opportunities. The 2022 World Trade Promotion Awards were announced at the World Trade Promotion Organizations Conference and Awards in Accra. The winners were: Best use of a…
Africa’s Travel Indaba 2022 was a boon for the continent’s tourism sector as well as the host city of Durban, province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This is as hundreds of buyers and exhibitors from 55 countries descended on Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) from 2-5 May, to trade on the continent’s best tourism products…
Africa’s Travel Indaba officially opened today with a call for the continent to work collaboratively to drive tourism growth, so as to accelerate the sector’s recovery. On a balmy day at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, over 634 and 625 buyers took their place at the continent’s premier travel trade show, as it…
By UNWTO UNWTO has launched the second edition of its global flagship competition under the name of “Awake Tourism Challenge”. The competition will identify innovators who are advancing solutions to 6 different challenges, as well as contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For the 2022 challenge, UNWTO will focus on specific…
More than a third (36%) of Tanzanian companies have fully or partially resolved trade obstacles in the last six years, according to the International Trade Centre report, Invisible barriers to trade – United Republic of Tanzania: Business perspectives. The report based on a survey of over 600 businesses found that 72% of firms involved in cross-border…
President Emmerson Emmerson Mnangawa has called on stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of mutual programmes and projects toward improving the standard and quality of life of the people of Rwanda and Zimbabwe with a view to fostering economic development. He made the remarks at the Zimbabwe-Rwanda Trade and Investment Conference in Harare today held under…
By Joyce Mukucha Developing a robust industrial and commercial sector is vital for import substitution and crucial following Zimbabwe’s ratification of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) in 2019, a government official has said. Officially opening the Buy Zimbabwe-Buy Local Summit in Harare yesterday, Vice President who is also the Minister of Health and…
By Elvis Dumba Kariba.-Residents in Kariba have applauded the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mary Mliswa–Chikoka for spearheading developmental projects under the government spearheaded devolution funds program. Residents here involved in vending are all smiles following the construction of a peoples market which accommodate vegetable and clothes vendors. Vendors who recently moved…
By Joyce Mukucha As the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube is set to present the 2022 National Budget today, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has appealed for a budget that realises the financial predicaments Zimbabweans are going through on a daily basis. In a statement, the ZCTU Secretary General,…
The Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) supported a two-day workshop to work with Zimbabwean experts to develop an Action Plan on alignment and harmonization of regional and national frameworks on industrialization in Zimbabwe. In a joint press release, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (Zimbabwe) and the Sub-Regional Office…
The second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2021) has ended on Sunday in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with a collective commitment to ensure that the economic stimulation triggered by the event translates into the continued strengthening of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Speaking during the closing ceremony of IATF 2021 at the Durban International…
The Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021) will see Durban host key figures from the world of trade, including entrepreneurs, financiers, governments and regulators, on one platform to deliberate on trade acceleration and investment throughout the African continent. Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the African Continental…
By Muchaneta Chimuka The first ever, Conference on Geographical Indications (GI) under the AfrlPI project in collaboration with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) countries has kick started today (10 -12 Nov) with several representatives from different countries in Africa in attendance. The conference is aimed at unpacking issues to do with trade…
The 12th meeting of the IATF2021 Advisory Council held virtually on 22 October 2021 and chaired by His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman of the IATF2021 Advisory Council and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, reviewed progress on final preparations for the second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021), which runs from 15 to 21…
Through the new contribution agreement, SECO will invest CHF 8 million throughout 2021-2025 to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of small businesses across developing countries with a focus on global public goods. Ms. Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, State Secretary and SECO Director, and Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of ITC, signed the contribution agreement during a ceremony in Bern…
Zimbabwe is set to reap huge benefits from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) if it pertinently addresses some economic structural bottlenecks, experts have said. In a policy dialogue hosted by The News Hawks in partnership with Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking (ZIST) yesterday, Rongai Chizema, the Former Chief Technical Advisor on Industrialisation to…
By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo The mono-currency regime has dismally failed and we have gone back to the United States dollars by default. This has been necessitated by the transacting public’s lack of confidence in the country’s monetary policies. Inflation is ballooning and the prices of basic commodities are skyrocketing with each passing day. The black…
By Staff Writer An association of cross-border traders has blasted various government ministries for failing to curb the illicit foreign currency dealings currently affecting the country’s economy. In a statement, Zimbabwe Cross Border Traders Association (ZCBTA), secretary-general, Augustine Tawanda hailed the Ministry of Finance for putting up a fight to resolve the illegal foreign currency…
By Simbarashe Manhango Zimbabwe is on an economic recovery trajectory this year and could strengthen further in 2022 despite the challenges posed by natural disasters and the Global Covid-19 pandemic, a report by the World Bank has revealed. The report, the Zimbabwe Economic Update (ZEU), published last month (June 2021), anticipates that the country will…
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with the support of the International Trade Centre (ITC), officially launched the ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organizations (TPO) Network and held its First Annual General Assembly 15th – 16th July 2021 in Abuja, Nigeria. The ECOWAS Trade Promotion Organisation (TPO) Network is a public-sector led entity and will…
Africa’s trade recovery is underway with double exports from Africa in April 2021 compared to April 2020[1]. This dynamism, alongside continued efforts towards the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), holds considerable potential for unlocking transformative growth on the continent. Intra-African trade can play a pivotal role in fostering more economically beneficial,…
The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) and Fairtrade Africa (FTA) on Thursday signed a collaborative pact aimed at addressing the effects of climate change on trade from smallholder farming, and respective producer groups across Africa. Signed in Nairobi, Kenya the memorandum of understanding between the two leading coalitions on climate change and trade will seek…
Dates rescheduled to 15-21 November 2021 The second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021) has been rescheduled to take place in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa from 15 to 21 November 2021. The Trade Fair was previously due to be held in Kigali, Rwanda from 8 to 14 December 2021. The decision to move the Trade Fair to…
The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) in collaboration with the Namibia Ports Authority and the Ministry of Works and Transport, as well as other key industry stakeholders in the Republic of Namibia, will be conducting a trade mission to the Republic of Zimbabwe from 18th June to 2nd July 2021. The main aim of the…
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is this week conducting a visit to Chirundu and part of the Supporting Informal Cross-border Traders in Southern Africa to do Business Safely during the COVID-19 Pandemic project. Informal Cross Border Trade which accounts for up to 40% of total intra-SADC trade, with an estimated value of US$17.6 billion…
The International Trade Centre (ITC) launched a new monthly series on the Global State of Trade, bringing together the most recent ITC data and research to highlight variations in exports and market access conditions across countries, regions, and sectors. Leveraging ITC’s trade and market access databases and in-house analytical capacities, the monthly briefs aim to support…
On Monday, Ambassador Brian A. Nichols officially opened the Virtual Post Reconstruction Trade Mission to Mozambique and Zimbabwe. This was the first official U.S. government trade mission to Zimbabwe. He paid tribute to many talented people and many businesses that can succeed working in Zimbabwe. The Ambassador said Zimbabwe is a country with incredible untapped potential: …
