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tralac’s Daily News Selection
The selection: Wednesday, 2 November 2016
Updated macro poverty outlook for selected sub-Saharan African countries (pdf, World Bank): Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe
An outline of the scope of African Development Report 2017: Feeding Africa through Agricultural Transformation (AfDB)
The African Development Report is the AfDB’s flagship publication, which focuses each year on a central theme that addresses development challenges in Africa. The theme of the 2017 edition of the Report is ‘Feeding Africa through Agricultural Transformation’, which is an area of central strategic importance to the Bank. The objective of the ADR 2017 is to promote agriculture transformation and the development of agro-allied industrialization in Africa. Expressions of interest are requested for a consultant for each of the chapters: Chapter 2: Accelerating agricultural production in Africa through research and development and innovation; Chapter 3: Financing the transformation of African agriculture; Chapter 4: Investing in an agro-allied industrialization: strengthening Africa’s agriculture value chains, trade and competitiveness; Chapter 5: Infrastructure and rural development; Chapter 6: Fostering inclusiveness and reducing inequality in Africa’s agriculture sector - emphasis on the youth and women; Chapter 7: Reducing environmental risks and building a resilient agriculture to climate change; Chapter 8: The role of the African Development Bank in transforming Africa’s agriculture. [Further details can be obtained here (see listings dated 28/10/2016)]
Kigali regional workshop on cassava value chain development (AU)
The African Union Commission organized a regional workshop (27-29 October, Kigali) on cassava value chain development, addressing problems of processing and access to market by small and medium industries. The main objective of the training was to improve the profitability and the competitiveness of SMEs through upgrading their capacity to effectively process and add value to cassava. Mr Hussein Hassan Hussein, Head of Industry Division at the African Union Commission indicated that despite enormous market potential and a favorable socio-economic advantage, cassava sub-sector is relatively underdeveloped in Africa. He deplored the fact that most countries have been unable to fully value Cassava sector in a way that would increase farmers’ income and foreign exchange earnings.
Support project for the cotton and textile subsector: project completion report (pdf, AfDB)
The multinational support project for the cotton-textile subsector in four cotton-sector-initiative countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad) was designed with the support of the international community, including the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of West and Central Africa, the West African Economic and Monetary Union Agenda for cotton-textile subsector competitiveness, with a view to addressing the challenges faced by African cotton farmers. It focused on the following major thrusts: [Roberto Azevedo: Ministerial meeting of Cotton-4 group of West African cotton-producing countries]
Highways to success or byways to waste: estimating the economic benefits of roads in Africa (pdf, Africa Development Forum series, World Bank)
A key element of a transition strategy, therefore, is to enhance living conditions in rural areas, and this report argues that - with caveats and qualifications - improved transport linkages can make a significant contribution, and demonstrates a methodology for determining the magnitude and location of those benefits. To set the stage for the rest of the report, this chapter first explains why there is good reason to believe that the prospects are bright for setting the agricultural sector in Africa on a high-growth trajectory, given proper conditions. It will show that one key element in achieving this shift will be improving farm-to-market connectivity, which is currently the worst of all regions in the world. However, given Sub-Saharan Africa’s enormous needs and limited resources, investing wisely, that is, prioritizing potential investments, will be critically important. Therefore, tools are needed to accurately evaluate the benefits and costs of alternatives. This report seeks to demonstrate that local conditions matter considerably, and the presence or absence of conflict, environmental externalities, and local production potential are the focus of this investigation.
Downloads from the conference, Regional integration in the EAC - making the most of the common market on the road to a monetary union: the presentations by Paul Mathieu (Financial sector integration: what are the key goals and challenges? Regulation and supervision aspects), Roger Nord (Macroeconomic convergence: what does it mean exactly, why is it needed, and what are the priorities?), Louis Marc Ducharme (Regional harmonization of macroeconomic statistics)
East African Business and Entrepreneurship Conference: summary of key outcomes (EABC)
As a tangible result, the conference (10-13 October, Nairobi) came up with a matrix of ten recommendations, which shall be followed up at the 2nd East African Business and Entrepreneurship Conference and Exhibition 2017 to be held in Dar es Salaam. Extracts (pdf): There is a need to promote the EAC as one market/one investment destination as this presents investors with a large consolidated market. The EAC Partner States, through the EAC Secretariat / EABC should in collaboration with IPAs, compile a list of regional projects which will be marketed by Investment Promotion Agencies along national projects. This should also be supported by a harmonised investment framework for the EAC. To internationalise SMEs and medium income companies, regional value chains, especially for imported inputs, should be developed in EAC and across Africa, as a first step to integrating companies into global value chains. The EAC Partner States should sign the EPA in order to safeguard the EU Market, especially considering that Tanzania and Uganda will soon reach low middle income country status given their current growth trajectories. However, the failure of all Partner States to sign the EPA together should not be seen to denote the collapse of the EAC integration. There is more to the EAC than the EU market.
Kenyan investors are welcome to Tanzania (Daily News)
President John Magufuli has assured Kenyans who wish to invest in Tanzania to come and establish businesses, dismissing claims that his administration has been frustrating Kenyan traders and ignoring issues concerning the EAC. President Magufuli, who was in Kenya for a two-day state visit, acknowledged the crucial role Kenyan investors play in the economy, with 529 Kenyan firms operating in the country, employing 56,260 people with their collective investment valued at $1.7bn dollars. Moreover, TIC statistics show that trade between Kenya and Tanzania has increased from 6.5bn/- in 2010 to 2tri/- this year. [EAC member states advised to focus on cross-border investments]
Turkey’s exports to African rise to $16.6bn (World Bulletin)
Exports to African nations increased by 20.5% between 2011 and 2015, while Turkey’s overall export volume to the whole world rose by only 7%. Exports to African countries soared to $12.5bn in 2015, from $10.33bn in 2011, while imports from the continent decreased by 25% to reach almost $5bn within the same period. Exports: Egypt was the first destination for Turkish goods worth $16.6bn in the last five years followed by Algeria ($9.2bn), Libya ($9.1bn), Morocco ($5.9bn) and Tunisia ($4.2bn). Imports: Egypt once again topped the list of Turkey’s importing countries with $7.3bn. South Africa came in second with $6.8bn followed by Algeria ($4.5bn), Morocco ($3.9bn) and Tunisia ($1bn). [Note: The Africa-Turkey Economic and Business Forum starts today in Istanbul]
IGF on Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development: meeting summary (pdf, IGF)
The 12th Annual General Meeting of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development and four associated workshops took place in Geneva, 24-28 October 2016. Approximately 270 participants registered to attend the meetings, representing IGF member and observer governments, the private sector and civil society. [UNCTAD: More policy attention needed on artisanal mining]
International Global Trade Management Survey (pdf, Thomson Reuters)
The second edition of the annual 2016 Thomson Reuters and KPMG International Global Trade Management Survey pinpoints key process issues that detract from the overall success of the trade and supply chain function. The results show global trade processes around import and export activities continue to be predominantly manual and time-consuming. While respondents recognize that automation is a need, there are many challenges within the organization to garnering the required funds and support. Classification and transfer pricing continue to be top challenges and, while there has been much talk around ratification of newly negotiated trade agreements, the ones already in place are not fully utilized. The large sample size and geographic spread of the respondents [which included South Africa] allowed the discovery of some meaningful geographic differences for subjects like global trade management technology usage and FTA utilization. This report presents key findings on: manual processes, automation, FTA utilization, classification, process centralization, transfer pricing and customs valuation.
Infographic, @o_merk: Since Q1 of 2013 average container ship size on Asia-S. America East Coast route increased with 63% and weekly ship calls were cut in half
Case study on the role of services trade in global value chains: transport services in Chile (APEC)
This case study finds that Chile has undertaken substantial transport sector liberalization over recent years. On the basis of an econometric model, it is concluded that the combination of transport sector reform efforts in Chile perhaps contributed to increase GVC performance by around 7%. It also suggests that sectors like agribusiness, where GVCs are becoming more relevant for a number of APEC economies, also rely on services like transport, as well as wholesale and retail distribution. As a result, regulatory reform in key backbone services sectors, including transport, has the potential to help develop GVC activity across the APEC region.
India to talk tough at RCEP trade meet (LiveMint)
India is again set to play hardball on services negotiations at the upcoming RCEP ministerial at Cebu in the Philippines starting Thursday. “The Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) grouping led by Singapore remains inflexible when it comes to services negotiations. We are going to tell the RCEP member countries that we will reveal details of our approach in goods negotiations once other members show progress in services negotiations,” a commerce ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Support for eTIR as the future of global transit (IRU)
The digital eTIR system has been endorsed as the future of TIR – the only global cross-border transit system – with the first pilot project between Turkey and Iran hailed a resounding success. The benefits of eTIR have been recognised at recent high level United Nations meetings. Strong support came from both pilot countries, prompting further interest in the innovation from Moldova and Kazakhstan, while Ukraine’s decision to work on a new intermodal pilot with Turkey was confirmed.
IMF Staff conclude visits to Zambia, Seychelles
COMESA SG elected as honorary chairperson of coordinating committee of International Network on Small Hydro Power
SADC: update on El Niño-induced drought
Zimbabwe: Specific transactions for bond notes - Emmerson Mnangagwa (The Herald)
Nigeria: Oyo State government, China firm establish $2b free trade zone (The News)
South African companies cannot leave Nigeria – SA envoy (The Eagle)
André de Mello e Souza: Brick by Brics—building institutions (LiveMint)
Cyril Prinsloo: The New Development Bank - towards greater efficiency (GEGAfrica)
Standard Bank pushes Chinese link with African countries (China Daily)
China October factory activity expands at fastest pace in over two years (Reuters)
Clyde Russell: China’s coal imports surge again, but how long can the party last? (Reuters)
Global migration of talent and tax incentives: evidence from Malaysia’s returning expert program (World Bank)
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