News

COMESA and Afreximbank sign agreement for the launch of a Pan-African customs transit scheme

Wednesday, 10 March 2021 13:13

According to the African Economic Outlook 2012, a report drafted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Commission for Africa (UNECA), transport costs are 63% higher in African countries compared with developed countries. A great proportion of such cost is due to the infrastructure gap that characterises Africa, where asphalted roads are 5 times less than in developed countries, but is also caused by inefficient transit systems that are adopted in the Continent which raise the cost of movement of cargo and significantly contribute to delays at borders.

Reduce trucks empty trips to decrease GHG emissions

Tuesday, 09 March 2021 11:56

In the latest years, many African corridor management authorities became increasingly sensitive to the environmental problems arising from the fast development of trade and freight transport, with some of them actively engaged in programmes aimed at turning their corridor infrastructure into environmentally friendly transport routes. Among them, the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA), in its last Strategic Plan (2017-2021), commits to address social and economic dimensions in the transport logistics chain including environmental and social health issues. To this purpose, the NCTTCA adopted in 2016 a Northern Corridor Green Freight Programme, a plan aimed at implementing a comprehensive Sustainable Freight Transport Strategy for 2030 and beyond.

COMESA Covid-19 essential goods platform goes live

Thursday, 04 March 2021 08:20

The COMESA Secretariat launched a multilingual (English, French and Arabic) online platform for exchanging and sharing information on the availability and production of essential goods (e.g. basic food products, fuel, sanitisers, cleaning and hygiene products, thermometers, veterinary food supplies, etc.) within the COMESA region. The initiative is part of the response measures to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UN Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade enters into force

Wednesday, 03 March 2021 09:08

On February 20, 2021 the UN Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA) came finally into force, 90 days after the date on which the Governments of 5 ESCAP member States have deposited their instruments of ratification or accession, as stated in Article 19 of the Agreement (the list of the countries that accessed or ratified the agreement is available here).

Trade Information Desk Officers to facilitate trade and small-scale traders in COMESA

Tuesday, 02 March 2021 10:59

COMESA launched a training programme to build the capacity of Trade Information Desk Officers (TIDOs) stationed at selected border posts in the Region to facilitate trade and promote conversion of part of informal trade into formal trade.

News

COMESA and Afreximbank sign agreement for the launch of a Pan-African customs transit scheme

Reduce trucks empty trips to decrease GHG emissions

COMESA Covid-19 essential goods platform goes live

UN Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade enters into force

Trade Information Desk Officers to facilitate trade and small-scale traders in COMESA

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