News

Supply Chain Research Meets Strategy: A Strategic Alliance to Advance Knowledge and Build Capacity

Friday, 27 March 2026 10:36

Desiderio Consultants Ltd. has entered into a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Advanced Institute for Supply Chain Research (AISCR), establishing a strategic platform for collaboration in research, policy innovation, and capacity building. This partnership lays the groundwork for a forward-looking alliance aimed at advancing supply chain governance and leadership, with a strong focus on Africa. By bridging knowledge and practice, it will drive coordinated initiatives in applied research, executive education, policy dialogue, and talent development across the trade, logistics, and supply chain ecosystem. READ THE FULL COMMUNIQUE.

The Price of Bilateral Ties: How Euro-Mediterranean Agreements and EPAs Influence African Markets

Thursday, 26 March 2026 06:07

In Tunisian ports, cranes move to a rhythm set in Brussels. While ships laden with olive oil and textiles depart for the North, the youth on the docks look to that same horizon as their only hope for a future. This is the paradox of the Mediterranean: a sea that connects two worlds in trade, but separates them in dignity.

Africa Is Integrating, But In The Wrong Way...

Monday, 23 March 2026 06:10

Across the continent, a powerful narrative is progressively gaining ground: Africa is integrating. This is not just a perception: it is supported by data. Intra-African trade has been rising in both value and political importance. It reached approximately $220.3 billion in 2024, marking double-digit growth in recent years. Institutions such as the UN Economic Commission for Africa consistently highlight this upward trend, with projections suggesting that trade within Africa could increase by up to 45% by 2045 under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). At the same time, political discourse has clearly shifted. African leaders, policymakers, and development institutions increasingly frame intra-African trade as the cornerstone of economic resilience and sovereignty, especially in response to global shocks and external dependency. Yet beneath the surface, the reality is more complex.

From Learning to Produce to Producing to Learn: Why Asia Industrialized Faster, and How Africa Is Redefining the Path

Thursday, 19 March 2026 10:58

A useful way to understand why some regions industrialized faster than others is to look beyond what they produce and focus instead on how they built their productive capacity. Industrialization is not simply about factories, exports, or infrastructure. It is, at its core, a process through which economies accumulate knowledge, skills, and organizational capabilities over time. Seen from this perspective, an important difference emerges between the historical experience of much of East and South Asia and that of many African countries.

Trade Compliance in 2026: Export Controls, Sanctions & Trade Ready Supply Chains

Tuesday, 17 March 2026 17:15

In 2026, global trade is no longer defined solely by tariffs and logistics efficiency. It is shaped by export controls, sanctions regimes, regulatory divergence, financial monitoring systems, and geopolitical alignment. However, the real question for executives is not simply: Are we compliant? It is: Are we trade-ready? A trade-ready supply chain is one that can: a) Sustain market access under sanctions volatility; b) Pass financial and customs scrutiny without disruption; c) Adapt sourcing networks to regulatory shifts; d) Integrate digital monitoring systems; e) Protect institutional credibility and banking relationships. Do you want to learn more? Save the date: Thursday 19 March 2026. Register here for this webinar organized by the Advanced Institute for Supply Chain Research (AISCR).