The East African Business Council (EABC) has launched a Trade Information Booth at the Namanga One Stop Border Post (OSBP). The initiative is in partnership with the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) and AGRA.
The booth aims to simplify access to market information, trade procedures, and guidance on the EAC Simplified Trade Regime (STR), primarily for women and youth traders.
Preceding the launch, a Public-Private Dialogue on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) brought together 70 stakeholders, including cross-border traders and trade facilitation agencies.
EABC’s Acting Executive Director, Mr. Adrian Raphael Njau, noted that “Women and youth cross-border traders face challenges navigating complex trade procedures.” He urged other border agencies to simplify certification and lower fees, suggesting they align with the EAC Simplified Certificate of Origin. Mr. Njau also pointed out an EABC study revealing that high costs for plant health inspection and certification (around $100) severely cut into the profit margins of small-scale traders, leading some to use ungazetted border crossings.
Mr. Amedeus Arbogast Mzee, representing Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, commended the initiative for empowering women and youth and eliminating NTBs, aligning it with the EAC Treaty’s emphasis on social welfare and youth/women empowerment. He advocated for the formation of cross-border cooperatives to support traders in the cereal and horticulture value chains.
Ms. Mary Maisory from Kenya’s State Department for EAC Affairs reiterated the commitment to resolving NTBs and urged women and youth to utilize the EAC Simplified Trade Regime.
Ms. Barbara Mbabazi of AGRA highlighted that women constitute over 70% of cross-border traders. She stated that the EABC-TCCIA-AGRA project seeks to empower young women by boosting their knowledge of trade procedures and capacity to trade cereals and horticultural products.
Border agency representatives, including Mr. Godwill Mollel of the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and Mr. David Langat of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), confirmed their readiness to support small traders with information on the STR, which facilitates the issuance of the Simplified Certificate of Origin for goods valued below $2,000.
The booth serves as a one-stop center for women and youth traders. It is equipped with:
- Simplified learning videos on trade procedures.
- Access to online reporting of NTBs, whistle-blowing, and complaint mechanisms.
- A market information platform, including a WhatsApp B2B platform accessible via +255 764 520 168.
During the dialogue, traders outlined several barriers undermining the EAC Simplified Trade Regime:
- Difficulties in accessing import/export permits for products like milk and cereals.
- High costs for permits, plant health inspections, and certification, pushing traders to use ungazetted routes and resulting in consignment confiscation.
- Excessive roadblocks and security checks (around eight between Rubizi Police and Kitengela, despite Bisil being the only gazetted roadblock).
- Lack of mutual recognition of product standards and discriminatory taxes, such as multiple county/municipal fees and excise duties on certain imports, which increase costs.
As part of the initiative, the EABC also conducted capacity-building sessions focusing on:
- Promoting gender-sensitive practices among border officials and traders to combat harassment and discrimination.
- Enhancing financial literacy and strengthening business management skills for cooperatives.
- A “Business Capital Award” competition, where 10 young women traders were each awarded $200.
- Recognition Awards totaling $1,000 were given to Namanga Cross-Border Traders Associations in Kenya and Tanzania to support young traders’ savings and access to microloans.