News
tralac’s Daily News Selection
Event listings (Lusaka, Ottawa, Johannesburg):
Today, in Lusaka: COMESA Business Council consultative meeting on the COMESA Business Visa and Tripartite Regional Dialogue on the Movement of Business Persons. See, below, for a preview: COMESA visa expected in two years.
Today, in Ottawa: Defining Canada’s ‘Progressive Trade Agenda’ for Africa (Carleton University’s Centre for Trade Policy and Law, Institute of African Studies). ATPC’s David Luke will be one of the speakers.
Tomorrow, in Johannesburg: a joint JCCI, US Embassy, Trade Law Centre workshop ‘How to use AGOA effectively to increase your exports to the US’. tralac’s Willemien Viljoen will be one of the speakers.
Next year’s 2017 AGOA Forum will be hosted by Togo.
Trade in 2016 to grow at slowest pace since the financial crisis (WTO)
World trade will grow more slowly than expected in 2016, expanding by just 1.7%, well below the April forecast of 2.8%, according to the latest WTO estimates. The forecast for 2017 has also been revised, with trade now expected to grow between 1.8% and 3.1%, down from 3.6% previously. With expected global GDP growth of 2.2% in 2016, this year would mark the slowest pace of trade and output growth since the financial crisis of 2009. The downgrade follows a sharper than expected decline in merchandise trade volumes in the first quarter (-1.1% quarter-on-quarter, as measured by the average of seasonally-adjusted exports and imports) and a smaller than anticipated rebound in the second quarter (+0.3%). The contraction was driven by slowing GDP and trade growth in developing economies such as China and Brazil but also in North America, which had the strongest import growth of any region in 2014-15 but has decelerated since then. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said:
Call for papers: Cross-border co-operation in West Africa (AAG 2017, April 2017, Boston)
This session adopts a different approach to West African borders. Its aim is to discuss how cross-border co-operation contributes to the regional integration process. Building on an ongoing research project that examines the current challenges of cross-border co-operation in the region, we are particularly interested to understand more about the economic potential of West African regions, the structure of cross-border policy networks, the spatial perceptions of the region’s policy makers, and the place-based policies that could be developed in the region.
ReEOI: detailed scoping study of Vision 2063 Africa Integrated High Speed Railway Network and Master Plan (Nepad, EAC)
Vision 2063 envisages an Africa Integrated High Speed Railway Network (AIHSRN) and Master Plan, comprising of four longitudinal and six latitudinal North-South and East-West continental railway network respectively, to be implemented over a period of three planning horizons: short term (2015-2025), medium term (2025-2045) and long term (2045-2065) development plan of 50 years. Phase 1 entails investigating key viability issues of traffic demand forecasts, costs and revenue estimates, corridor/routes, rail technology options, innovative financing models, among other related issues.
ATAF General Assembly preview: Tax authorities brace for continental indaba (The Chronicle)
South Africa is set to host this year’s edition of the African Tax Administration Forum General Assembly where the continent’s heads of tax administrations will meet to map out ways of optimally using Africa’s untapped tax base. Scheduled for 3-7 October in Durban, the conference will run under the theme: “Harnessing the African cash economy: contributing towards expansion of the African tax base.” Zimbabwe is chairing the ATAF council, deputised by Senegal. ATAF media and communications officer Mr Taungana Ndoro reported that the informal sector, which uses unrecorded cash transactions, has prejudiced the African economy at least 38% of its GDP. A key outcome of the conference, he said, will be laying the foundation for development of action plans to be pursued by African tax administrations until the next general assembly in 2018.
REC policy highlights:
COMESA visa expected in two years (Malawi Times): Talks are now at an advanced stage to establish the COMESA Business Visa, an initiative seeking to make it easy for business persons from countries that make up the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa to move across borders. The COMESA Secretariat has confirmed that once adopted, the visa could be operational in the next two years. Representatives from Comesa member states are meeting this week in Zambia to review and validate proposals that have been made so far. The dialogue is further expected to enhance deliberations between the private sector and governments on pertinent migration issues to ensure that the existing policies contribute to increased trade, tourism flows, and business engagement in the region. Key recommendations will be streamlined into an advocacy position for the COMESA Business Council while the proposed instrument is expected to be tabled for adoption before the COMESA policy organs and Summit meetings that will take place in Madagascar from 10-19 October. [Dianna Games: Political will is weak to make travel in Africa cheaper and easier]
IOM, COMESA launch flagship training programme on free movement agenda (COMESA): The International Organization for Migration and COMESA Secretariat have launched a flagship training programme on the signature and ratification of the COMESA Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, Labour, Services, Right of Establishment and Residence (otherwise known as the Free Movement Protocol). This training, the first of its kind, targets Zambia and Zimbabwe and represents a significant milestone for the COMESA free movement agenda. The training was intended to contribute to the expedited signature and ratification of the Free Movement Protocol, which despite having been established in 2001 has not yet entered in to force. A minimum of seven ratifications are required for this to happen, and so far, only four Member States have signed, and two have ratified the Protocol.
Japan to deploy experts to COMESA Secretariat (COMESA): The Japanese government is to deploy technical staff through the International Cooperation Agency at COMESA Secretariat to work on infrastructure and related issues. Ambassador Koinuma praised the relationship between COMESA and Japan and confirmed that JICA has agreed in principle to deploy the technical staff. Further, he hailed the signing of the MoUs between PTA bank and Japanese financial development institutions which will facilitate trade and investment between the COMESA region and Japan.
IGAD /ICPALD trade mission to South East Asia: IGAD/ICPALD organized a trade mission (11-22 Sept) to explore alternative markets, enabling livestock and meat exporters of the region to diversify and expand markets in Malaysia and Vietnam. The main objectives of the trade mission were to brief the regulatory bodies and importers on the livestock resource base status of production and marketing and share promotional materials; to collect information on live animal and meat (chilled, frozen, edible offal) importing requirements, to discuss with the importers on the volume of import and price, identifying potential trade partners and undertake observations on major meat and live animal markets.
Zimbabwe: Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP) launched (NewsDay)
Government has launched the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (I-PRSP) for Zimbabwe, which requires $2,7bn to implement in the period 2016 to 2018. Speaking at the launch of the document yesterday, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said government and development organisations have secured $800m so far for the implementation of the I-PRSP, leaving a funding gap of $1,9bn. He said the $1,9bn would be mobilised through the budget and other domestic savings and the private sector. Jesimen Chipika, the national consultant for I-PRSP, said the economy needs to grow at 7% growth rates, receive normal rainfall and continue to use the multicurrency system. [IRIN: Climate change on the front line, in rural Zimbabwe]
Rising coal prices improve prospects for infrastructure projects in Mozambique (MacauHub)
Coal prices on international markets have more than doubled since the beginning of the year, allowing mining projects to resume and improving the prospects for infrastructure projects in Mozambique. Due to international production cuts over the past months, coal prices rose from almost US$80 per tonne to around US$190 per tonne this month, which has led India’s Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. to resume its operations at the Chirodzi mine, achieving a monthly production of 300,000 tonnes.
Malawi: Government drafts Economic Empowerment Bill (The Times)
The government has drafted the Malawi Economic Empowerment Bill, which will spearhead implementation of Buy Malawian Strategy which calls for a minimum of 30% purchase of goods and services from local firms. Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Joseph Mwanamvekha, said this during the opening of the 6th annual procurement and supply management conference in Mangochi on Friday.
Kenya’s full plate of Chinese imports (Daily Nation)
Kenya is on course to a bigger import bill for Chinese consumer goods such as fish, phones, tyres and cement amid growing concerns that the mountain of products being brought in could stifle performance of the local industries. The Asian giant is the only country whose annual exports to Kenya have crossed the Sh300bn mark, cementing its position as the largest supplier of East Africa’s largest economy. Imports from China hit Sh320bn last year, up from Sh248bn in 2014 – representing a 29% growth, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data. The import growth trend is expected to continue this year based on the latest half year data even as the world’s most populous country’s economy falters back home, forcing it to turn to foreign markets such as Kenya.
MDG Transition Report: reliable statistics and integrated policy approach key to successful SDG and Agenda 2063 implementation (UNDP)
This latest publication which is the last in a series of MDG reports, takes stock of Africa’s performance during the 15 year development campaign and reflects on the challenges and opportunities associated with the dual transition to the new global and continental development agendas adopted in 2015: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, Africa’s roadmap for development.
Related AU statistics policy processes: The African Charter on Statistics, Standards and Guidelines for the Implementation of the African Charter on Statistics, Model Statistics Law in the context of the African Charter on Statistics, Methodological guidelines.
Digital trade: changing the landscape in the information age (Tutwa)
As for economic development e-commerce looks to be a capitalist dream. A seemingly open and fair market place for a virtually unlimited number of consumers who, in turn, have a seemingly unlimited number of suppliers to choose from. Rather than solely relying on supplier generated marketing material you have access to user reviews and ratings. In addition, the larger market access means that niche markets can be sustainable without compromise to meet local or regional demands. But all this could come at a price. [The analyst: Heinrich Krogman]
Products and provinces: a disaggregated panel analysis of Canada’s manufacturing exports (IMF)
The waning of the commodity boom places renewed emphasis on manufacturing as an engine for Canadian growth. However, Canadian manufacturing exports have been relatively stagnant since 2000. While the exchange rate depreciation over the past two years has energized export growth, the response has not been as strong as would have been expected given the size of the depreciation. More fundamental issues appear to be impeding the growth of the Canadian manufacturing sector. This study analyzes the structural factors behind export competitiveness by using unique Canadian data on exports, which are disaggregated both by province and by product.
Zimbabwe: President rejects Special Economic Zones Bill
Angola’s risk increase, Fitch Ratings says
SADC Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) launched
Russia to lift import ban on Egyptian fruits, vegetables: Egypt trade ministry
- - -
