Posts by Alastair Tempest
The National Identification and Registration Bill
This Bill was drafted as part of the Official Identity Management Policy, which set out an integrated digital national identification system for all people who live, or have lived, in…
Read MoreThe One-stop Border Post Bill (OSBP) is released for comment by the SA.
On the subject of removing NTBs and easing business, SA has published its OSBP Bill for public comment. This regulation will harmonise the movement of goods and people between SA’s…
Read MoreSACU Presents its Proposals to the AfCFTA
The Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) has officially announced the finalisation of the SACU Tariff Offer on 18 February during the 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.…
Read MoreTrouble Brews Between EAC Members
Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania may be denying smaller EAC economies a chance at regional trade by levying irregular excise duty. A study on discriminative taxes in the EAC shows that Burundi…
Read MoreThe End of Non-Tariff Barriers in Parts of Africa?
In preparation for the AfCFTA, a number of regional economic communities (RECs) started to identify and have their member states remove NTBs. No less than 716 out of 796 NTBs…
Read MoreAir Cargo Africa Conference
As the Newsletter reported last month, I sat on a panel on ecommerce and air cargo in February. There was considerable interest in the growth of cross-border ecommerce and in…
Read MoreA New AfCFTA Protocol is Planned – on Women and Youth
As the AfCFTA progresses with its Protocols (see above), where and how do women traders fit into this scheme of things? The starting point should be to ensure that the needs…
Read MoreNews from Africa
AfCFTA Protocols on intellectual property rights (IPR), competition policy, and Investment Adopted: The Draft Digital Trade Protocol is Circulated – EFA Submits its Comments. The AfCFTA Secretariat is required to set down rules…
Read MoreUN Global Survey on Digital And Sustainable Trade Facilitation
The 5th Survey has been launched by the 5 UN Regional Commissions and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The 2023 edition consists of 60 measures, including two new sets of measures on “Trade…
Read MoreThe Uber Files
I spent an interesting 45 minutes recently in an Uber. The driver told me in some detail of the deals with the local municipalities that has kept Uber afloat and…
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