 partnered with the Burundi Federal Chambers of Commerce (CFCIB) signed a Public Private Dialogue project in Burundi worth $25,000 this Wednesday 9th. September, 2020.){kind=link}
Trademark East Africa (TMEA) partnered with the Burundi Federal Chambers of Commerce (CFCIB) signed a Public Private Dialogue project in Burundi worth $25,000 this Wednesday 9th. September, 2020. The project is expected to last for 2 years aiming at providing a platform to expose communication challenges for Burundi traders as well as trade Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs).
The project comes midst coronavirus pandemic where Burundian traders encountered several challenges related to the free movement of goods and the lack of enough information on trade, customs, and goods clearance procedure.
The country representative of TMEA Christian Nibasumba while launching the project focused on its importance as it will enable and provide materials on key trade procedures and drive the evolvement of trade and environment affairs in Burundi and in the region.
“We intend to come up with solutions of different challenges that affects businesses in transport and logistics affiliated to it, facilitating trade along with industry in general to reduce different existing barriers, to harmonize customs procedures, and at last enhance standard and phytosanitary norms”, said Mr. Nibasumba.
The project is expected to reinforce the technical capacity of CFCIB together with sectorial chambers and hand over clear support to the National Committee of Non-Tariff barriers to allow them to become proactive first-actors of this East African Community region.
Among key takers of the Public Private Dialogue, the project targets and concentrates on advocacy on PSOs (Public Safety Officers) institution support as well as provide a platform of dialogue on trade facilitation such as manufactures, energy, forex, BBIN,OBR, ISTEEBU, SOBUGEA who are actively advocating in trade field.
“Recently at Kobero a trader was blocked due to misunderstanding he had all necessary documentation regarding his cargo. Then if we had a tool to communicate directly with both parties it could be easy and take little time that’s the reason we want to include all parties in the project,” said Sandra Nyambura an official from TMEA while presenting the work plan of the project.
According to CFCIB president the project will help facilitate trade, advocacy on tax and customs, small trans-border businesses, chain values in the region, Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures and norms and transport and logistics of goods.
“The joint project will be the remedy to the trade challeges and bring a healthy affairs environment”, said Audace Ndayizeye the president of CFCIB.
Among EAC priorities from 2017-2021 there are Consolidation of the Single Customs Territory (SCT), Enhancing free movement of all factors of production across the partner states, enhancement of regional industrial development, which Burundi is expected to embrace.