The selection: Tuesday, 15 November 2016

Starting on Thursday, in Cape Town: tralac’s roundtable A Continental Free Trade Area to support Africa’s industrial development objectives?

This will be the first of a series of roundtables on Africa’s industrialization: our aim is to support a critical and creative discourse on options for Africa’s industrialization and implications for its regional integration agenda. The speakers include UNECA’s David Luke, Manchester Trade’s Dennis Matanda, dti’s Nigel Gwynne-Evans. Download the roundtable programme (pdf). A second roundtable, to be held early in 2017, will include perspectives from the private sector across the continent.

The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation HLM2 takes place in Nairobi, 28 November – 1 December. Download the Draft Nairobi Outcome Document (pdf).

AU Sub-Committee of Directors General of Customs: ‘One-stop border posts good for trade’ (The Herald)

Speaking while officially opening an African Customs Technical meeting yesterday, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority acting commissioner general, Happias Kuzvinzwa said the one-stop border post concept will improve trade within Africa. He applauded the critical role being played by the Customs Technical Working Groups saying, this will help address issues in the Trade Facilitation Cluster of the Action Plan on Boosting Intra-African Trade. The meeting, which started yesterday and ends on Wednesday, is a precursor to the 8th Ordinary Meeting of the African Union Sub-Committee of Directors General of Customs which will run from Thursday-Friday under the theme, “From Barriers to Bridges — Implementing One-Stop Border Posts for Improved Trade Facilitation”. [Report, pdf: 7th Ordinary Meeting of the African Union Sub-Committee of Directors General of Customs]

Juba and Kampala sign OSBP trade deal (Africa Review)

South Sudan and Uganda have signed a One-Stop Border Post agreement to enhance trade through the efficient movement of goods, persons and services within the two partner states. South Sudan’s ambassador and Foreign Affairs undersecretary Joseph Ayok Anei, told reporters in Juba on Monday that the deal was vital, especially for South Sudan whose economy was handicapped by political instability. The agreement was inked on 8 November in Kampala by the Foreign Affairs secretaries from both sides.

In key African nations, widespread discontent with economy, corruption (Pew Research Centre)

In South Africa and Nigeria – sub-Saharan Africa’s two largest economies – economic sentiments have turned sharply negative since 2015. Around seven-in-ten South Africans and Nigerians now say their economies are in bad shape. Meanwhile, in the East African economic hub of Kenya, just over half say the same. Large majorities in all three countries consider the lack of employment opportunities a very big problem. Moreover, as a new Pew Research Center survey of these three major African nations illustrates, many believe the political and economic system is stacked against them. Political corruption – seen by many experts as a key stumbling block to a country’s development – is a major public concern. Broad majorities in all three countries name government corruption as a very big problem.

A commentary by Nedbank’s Michael Creighton: ‘Outlook for 2017: The changing dynamics of risk in sub-Saharan Africa’ (TXF News)

Does mobile money use increase firms’ investment? Evidence from enterprise surveys in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania (World Bank)

The study finds that an increase in the adoption of mobile money leads to a 16% percent increase in the probability of investment by the firm. A further in-depth analysis is conducted of the different purposes of mobile money use and their relationship with the likelihood of investment. The intensity of mobile money use by each type of purpose and the link with firms’ decision to invest is also explored. The findings have important implications for policy makers aiming to improve private investment in East Africa.

Trade costs and inclusive growth: case studies presented by WTO chair-holders (WTO)

Trade Costs and Inclusive Growth looks at how implementation of the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement can help to reduce trade costs and promote growth. The publication brings together contributions from ten participants in the WTO Chairs Programme, which supports trade-related activities by academic institutions in developing countries. Profiled chapter, ‘Streamlining South Africa’s export development efforts in sub-Saharan Africa: a Decision Support Model approach’ (pdf): This chapter goes on to show how, through a recent application of the model, the DSM has revealed those South African products and services with the highest export potential in sub-Saharan Africa, while also differentiating among the various markets in terms of whether they present relatively high or relatively low barriers to market access – with a specific focus on logistical barriers (in the case of tangible goods) and market regulations (in the case of services). The practical application of the DSM outlined in this chapter serves as a case study to illustrate how the model could be applied in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa to reveal high potential (including new) export opportunities that are not too encumbered by logistical and other market access problems. Where the latter are evident, compliance with the provisions of the TFA could encourage more streamlined regulations and procedures. [The analysts: Ermie Steenkamp, Sonja Grater, Wilma Viviers]

Namibia: Trade Statistics Bulletin, 3rd Quarter 2016 (pdf, National Statistics Agency)

Namibia’s overall trade (exports + imports) hit N$40.554bn in q3-2016, this is 16.6% higher than N$34.795bn witnessed in the corresponding period of 2015, but 2% down from N$41.433bn in the previous quarter. Overall export revenue for the period under review stood at N$16.858bn while the import bill was valued at N$23.696bn, resulting in a merchandise trade deficit valued at N$6.838bn. The largest deficits in terms of important partners by value were South Africa (N$12.684bn), Bulgaria (N$0.386bn), Turkey (N$0.354bn), USA (N$0.327bn), and Peru (N$0.274bn). On the other hand, Namibia’s biggest trade surpluses were Zambia (N$1.457bn), Switzerland (N$1.414bn), Angola (N$0.901bn), Spain (N$0.769bn) and Italy (N$0.614bn).

Angola, Mozambique: Jan-Sept trade with China (McauHub)

Trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries fell by 9.61% in the period from January to September to $69.128bn, according to official Chinese figures released by the Macau Forum. Angola is second in terms of value, trading $11.786bn (-24.28%) worth of goods with China in the period, having imported goods worth $1.24bn (-57.80%) and sold goods to a value of $10.545bn (-16.47%). Mozambique’s trade with China recorded S$1.329bn (-25.68%), with China selling goods in the amount of $993m (-31.53%) and purchasing goods whose value amounted to $336m (-0.62%).

South Africa wins Offshoring Destination of the Year Award (dti)

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, has announced South Africa’s success in winning the Global Sourcing Association’s Annual Outsourcing Destination of the Year award for 2016 held in the UK. "Since 2012 the South African offshore Business Process Services market has experienced compounded average growth of 25% year-on-year and now boasts around 30000 offshore jobs, with the UK being the leading buyer of South African BPS services followed by Australia and the USA which is rapidly growing,” says Davies. The Business Process Services sector is one of the dti’s priority sectors attracting investments from English speaking markets in particular the UK, Australia and recently from the US.

SADC Ministers of Health and Ministers responsible for HIV and AIDS: communiqué (pdf, SADC)

The following are the outcomes of the Joint Ministers’ Meeting: The meeting approved, inter alia, the following reports/ documents: (i) Report on the Implementation of the SADC Protocol on Health, including Regional Minimum Standards, Frameworks and Guidelines (ii) 2016 SADC HIV and AIDS Epidemic Report (iii) Strategy for Regional Manufacturing of Essential Medicines and Health Commodities in SADC (2016-2020). The meeting further recommended, inter alia, the following: Development of a resource mobilisation roadmap to support the operationalization of the SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan.

2016 UN Forum on Business and Human Rights: ICC calls on governments to advance human rights action plans

As the world’s largest annual gathering on business and human rights gets underway in Geneva, the International Chamber of Commerce is calling on governments to heighten efforts to develop and implement national action plans. Bringing together over 2,000 participants - including government, business, civil society and academia - the 2016 UN Forum on Business and Human Rights is a major opportunity to assess progress in relation to the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and other current business-related human rights issues.

Non-standard employment around the world: understanding challenges, shaping prospects (ILO)

The new report documents a number of different trends. In industrialized countries, part-time work falls into ‘very short hours,’ ‘on-call’ work, or ‘zero-hours’ contracts that have no minimum hour guarantee. These conditions are parallel with “casual work” in developing countries. In the United States, 10% of the workforce has irregular and on-call works schedules; those earning the least are most affected. In Bangladesh and India, almost two-thirds of wage employment is casual. One-third is casual in Mali and Zimbabwe. In Australia, where casual employment is a specific category, one in four employees is casual. ILO advocates four policy recommendations to improve the quality of non-standard jobs:

Cotton export subsidies, domestic support and market access: background paper by the WTO Secretariat

The following background paper has been prepared by the WTO Secretariat for the Committee on Agriculture Special Session – Sub-Committee on Cotton. The paper is organized in three parts, namely: export subsidies, domestic support, market access.

Drylands are key to global food security, says new IFAD report

The report, The Drylands Advantage: protecting the environment, empowering people (pdf), shows how drylands support important ecosystems and a great variety of biodiversity, as well as their vital role in the livelihoods and cultural identity of many smallholders. For example, in Swaziland, IFAD has supported communities to rehabilitate gullied land and introduce sustainable land management practices on 68,000 hectares of land, which can now generate livelihoods for people. In China’s Yanchi county, where drylands are turning to desert, farmers have increased their incomes by 20 per cent as a result of a comprehensive programme to generate alternative and sustainable livelihoods. Without this programme, desertification would likely worsen and the drylands would no longer be farmed at all.

Diamond industry NGOs offered independent funding initiative at Kimberley Process plenary (The National)

The UAE has proposed setting up permanent independent fin­ancing for non-governmental organisations in the diamond industry, and launched the fund with a US$25,000 contribution, roughly a quarter of the total estimated cost. The scheme was announced at the annual plenary meeting of the Kimberley Process (KP), the organisation that represents diamond-producing countries, the mining industry and NGOs. It was estimated at the meeting that about $105,000 per year would be required to fund the attendance of a 10-strong team of NGO representatives at key KP events throughout the year. Australia, which will chair the organisation in 2017, is expected to match the UAE’s launch sum. [UAE now the third largest exporter of diamonds]

Today’s Quick Links:

The Tanzania Investment Forum starts tomorrow (Daily News)

Zimbabwe: IMF executive board removes remedial measures applied to Zimbabwe (IMF)

Mauritius, India sign MoU for Rs 12.7 b grant assistance for project implementation (GoM)

Liberia-UK Trade Investment Forum: 22 November (Front Page Africa)

Internet Society report identifies reasons for Africa’s low internet use

COP22: Geneva-based agencies highlight important role of trade in addressing climate change (ITC)

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