News
tralac’s Daily News selection: 25 September 2015
The selection: Friday, 25 September
Today, in New York: the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change
On Monday, in New York: From the MDGs to the SDGs - Africa at a crossroads
Concluded, yesterday in Sandton: Agenda 2063 AUC/ECA/AfDB and RECs meeting on M&E convergence (AU)
Overall, whilst results based planning and budgeting has permeated almost every level within the AU and the RECs, there is still an evident lack of an overarching results based M&E system and rationalized resource mobilization strategy. The establishment of the COMESA, EAC, SADC Tripartite REC, as well as the recent adoption of the AU Agenda 2063 First Ten Year implementation Plan at the June 2015 Summit in Johannesburg present a great opportunity for the African Union to design, build and implement an overarching results based M&E system and a Balanced Score Card that will help track the levels of implementations of initiatives within the AU, between the AU and RECs up to Member States level, particularly with regard to following up on the levels of implementation of the targets and goals set out in the first ten year implementation plan for Agenda 2063. In the same vein, mechanism for mobilization of Africa’s own resources for financing of Agenda 2063 need be created and maintained by Pan-African institutions, including the African Development Bank. The specific objectives of the meeting include among others:
What future scenarios for the Southern African Customs Union? (tralac)
The Southern African Customs Union is in an impasse; and has been so for some time now. The Council of Ministers, which is SACU’s “supreme decision making authority”, is not meeting; no common policies are discussed; and no decisions on how to deepen integration among the Member States are taken. It is against this background that the present paper has been written and is disseminated for comments and responses. It discusses a number of possible scenarios for SACU’s future; which were debated at a recent tralac workshop attended by participants from the SACU Member States. We believe that SACU’s future should be looked at in terms of the bigger regional picture. [The author: Gerhard Erasmus]
Trade facilitation in SACU: Namibia (New Era)
The Minister of Finance Calle Schlettwein has urged local businesses to support trade facilitation initiatives and to inculcate a culture of compliance across all sectors to reduce the need for controls by government at ports of entry and exit. “Trade facilitation should not and cannot be allowed to merely become popular jargon. We should rather design and package it as a toolbox that would allow speedy delivery of best practices that impact our national and regional development agenda, be it our Growth at Home Strategy, the ACCESS Namibia Programme, the Industrial Upgrading and Modernisation Programme, our SME and Entrepreneurial Programme, as well as our relevant investment and tax incentive schemes,” said Schlettwein yesterday during a SACU breakfast meeting.
Amina Mohamed: statement to Kenya's parliament on 10th WTO Ministerial Conference (WTO)
To me and to many other Ministers, it is important that the WTO and the trade agenda respond to development concerns, and at the same time also reply to current challenges in world trade. Having said that, we also need to keep in mind that the outcomes need to be acceptable to ALL. The WTO, as you recall, takes decisions by consensus. Therefore, a large dose of realism is required, if we are to make progress in this Conference. We must also remember that this is not the last round of negotiations. This is not the end of history. Surely the WTO will still be there and other negotiations will take place in thin future. At the same time, we do need to make sure that the results of MC10 represent an advancement over what is currently on the table.
Roberto Azevêdo: speech to Peterson Institute (WTO)
Group of 77+China: statements by Helen Clark, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
The new UN Sustainable Development Goals and regional integration in Africa: tralac discussion
William Mwanza, tralac Researcher, comments on the 2015 UN Summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda and the relevance of regional integration frameworks when considering the agreed Sustainable Development Goals. tralac invites comments on the posting.
Joint Africa-EU Partnership Strategy: communiqué of the 4th Annual African CSO Continental Forum
More significantly the Forum conclusion went beyond JAF to emphasize the need for effectively mainstreaming of CSO interventions in larger framework of the Africa-EU Joint Strategy. As part of this process, it stressed the need for civil society actors in Africa (as in Europe) to be involved in and contribute to the outcomes of the Africa-EU Summit on Migration scheduled to be held in Valetta, Malta, from 11-12 November 2015. The Forum observed that migrants were mostly from civil society and it is essential that civil society actors from developing countries, including Africa, should be an integral part of the search for solutions on attendant problems of state-society. The Forum in particular underlined the need for an Africa Continental CSO Consultation on the Migration prior to the Summit as distinct from the side event that is being organized by Europeans organizations and the University of Malta. It stressed the need for assimilation of such issues effectively within the framework of the Intercontinental CSO dimension of the JAES process.
Marcelo M. Giugale: 'Let’s not cut aid for poor countries' (World Bank)
Europe's lingering economic troubles are at the centre of global attention and of much heated debate in Poland. Can the European Central Bank print enough money to jump-start the continent's economy? Or should that be done through a blast of public investment financed with new debt? How should Greece be helped? What does the sudden appreciation of the Swiss franc mean for the Eurozone? Will Russia's financial distress spill over to its neighbours? How those questions are answered will affect many rich countries of the world -- the likes of France, Germany, and now also Poland. Usually ignored, it will also affect some of the poorest. [The author is General Director, Macroeconomics and Public Finance]
Business Call to Action (UNDP)
At its Sixth Annual Forum on 24 September 2015, BCtA announced commitments by 33 companies in support of the new Sustainable Development Goals. This is the largest number of new members in a single year and represents a significant increase in the scope of commitments by companies to use viable businesses ventures that include those at the base of the economic pyramid as suppliers, distributors, retailers or customers. And it brings to 137 the number of businesses that have joined BCtA’s leadership platform since it launched in 2008.
Heads-up: This is how SABMiller is conquering Africa (City Press)
Localisation has been key to the success in SABMiller’s African expansion drive. Bowman explained that while SABMiller initially developed its footprint in Africa through the acquisition of assets and developing local markets using South African expertise, the group has spent a significant amount of money on new production lines, breweries and malting facilities in order to encourage localisation of the value chain. Localising costs has reduced foreign exchange exposure, while smaller, modular breweries are able to better serve markets because of unreliable logistics in rural areas. “We have a core belief in local management running operations, and we always defer to them,” Bowman said.
UNIDO to support industrial upgrading and modernization in Southern Africa
The industrial sector in countries of the Southern African Development Community is set to benefit from support provided by UNIDO. An initiative to support industrial upgrading and modernization in Southern Africa was presented by UNIDO representative to the European Union, Christophe Yvetot, during the SADC Business Forum hosted by the SADC Group of Ambassadors in Brussels. During the Forum, Yvetot said that UNIDO has already successfully implemented an Industrial upgrading and modernization programme at national and regional levels in a number of countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, and in the sub-regions of West, Central and East Africa. He said that the programme has had immediate impacts on the acceleration of the growth of industrial sectors, thereby contributing to overall economic growth and employment creation.
Zimbabwe: NECF working on competitiveness report (The Herald)
During the focus group meetings, NECF will present a draft NCAR report for discussion. Focus group meetings were held on Wednesday in Masvingo and Bulawayo while Mutare and Gweru had their meetings yesterday. More meetings will be held in other centres while the Harare discussion is scheduled for the first week of next month. The report is expected to be launched on October 29. Zimbabwe will join Tanzania, Egypt and Senegal among African countries to compile national competitive assessment reports with a view to improving the business environment in a manner that makes them competitive.
Zimbabwe: New policy set to transform industry (NewsDay)
“The Industrial Development Policy itself envisages transforming Zimbabwe from a producer of primary goods into a producer of processed value-added goods for both the domestic and export market through the promotion of viable industrial and commercial sectors,” he said. The overall objective for the government under the IDP (2017-2021) will be to restore the manufacturing sector’s contribution to gross domestic product doubling to 30% and its contribution to exports increased to 50% from 26%.
Tapiwa Mashakada: 'Addressing the ease of doing business' (Zimbabwe Independent)
Sugar in Mozambique: balancing competitiveness with protection (SPEED)
Going forward, Mozambique has many opportunities that can lead to a positive outcome for the sugar industry. Untapped interregional trade represents a major opportunity, particularly as traditional markets become uncertain (e.g., EU). Improving the business environment and encouraging diversification into other sectors though backward and forward linkages and increased value added activities. Weaning Mozambique from dependence on protection of the sugar industry could be key for more broad agricultural transformation, as was the case of Mauritius. Mozambique should carefully study the path of Mauritius and consider moving in that direction. [Downloads available]
The 2015 Mozambique Country New Alliance and Grow Africa report (SPEED)
Regional forum on up-scaling fertilizer usage (COMESA)
Hippo Valley to grow regional exports (Zimbabwe Independent)
Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau want to cooperate in the cashew sector (MacauHub)
Namibia: Pick n Pay commits to selling locally grown veggies (New Era)
South African Cereal and Oil Seed Trade Association: regional integration strategy (AgBiz)
Nigeria's FG partners China on agricultural development, woos Chinese investors (ThisDay)
Namibia: IMF concludes 2015 Article IV Consultation (IMF)
Namibia’s growth outlook is clouded with downside risks, while facing significant policy challenges. The main near-term risks are associated with (i) highly volatile SACU revenues, (ii) rapid growth of house prices, and (iii) external environment.
Malawi attempts to resurrect Shire-Zambezi shipping project (AIM)
The transport ministers of Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique have met in the Malawian capital Lilongwe to discuss the feasibility of using the Shire and Zambezi rivers for international merchant shipping. The ministers are considering a report by consultants on the navigability of the Shire-Zambezi Waterway (SZW) project. The proposed route is from Nsanje in Malawi to Chinde, the small Mozambican town at the mouth of the Zambezi. Most of the 343 kilometre long route is through Mozambican territory.
Portuguese firm Mota-Engil to construct $200m dry port (StarAfrica)
Central Africa to network against corruption (UNECA)
OECD's Global Forum on Competition: postings by Mexico, United Kingdom
Sipho Moyo lands top AfDB post (AfDB)
African Statistical Journal: September 2015 edition (AfDB)
Ethiopia, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire to benefit from African Trade Insurance membership programme (AfDB)
Trade Advocacy Fund Advisory Toolkits: various downloads available
This week in the news
Catch up on tralac’s daily news selections for the past week:
The selection: Wednesday, 23 September 2015
The selection: Tuesday, 22 September 2015
The selection: Monday, 21 September 2015
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This post has been sourced on behalf of tralac and disseminated to enhance trade policy knowledge and debate. It is distributed to over 300 recipients across Africa and internationally, serving in the AU, RECS, national government trade departments and research and development agencies. Your feedback is most welcome. Any suggestions that our recipients might have of items for inclusion are most welcome. Richard Humphries (Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Twitter: @richardhumphri1)
