Latest news with #MinisterOfTrade
Zawya
03-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Promoting inclusive regional trade: Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) mobilises stakeholders along the Abidjan–Lagos corridor to support women traders
The ECOWAS Commission launched on Monday in Abidjan the third edition of its regional information and awareness campaign for small-scale cross-border women traders along the Abidjan–Lagos corridor. This initiative, which will run until 15 July 2025, aims to strengthen women's economic participation in regional trade by improving their access to information, training, and a safer trading environment. The Department of Human Development and Social Affairs and the Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission are co-organising the third edition of the Information and Awareness Campaign for small-scale cross-border women traders along the Abidjan–Lagos corridor, from 30 June to 15 July 2025. The objective of this campaign is to build on the achievements and results of the 2023 and 2024 editions conducted along the Tema–Paga and Dakar–Banjul–Bissau corridors, in order to facilitate cross-border trade and improve operations for small-scale women traders by strengthening their knowledge and understanding of the regulations governing cross-border trade and related regional initiatives. As part of the implementation of this campaign, an official launch ceremony—co-chaired by the Minister of Trade and Industry and the Minister of Women, Family and Children—was held on 30 June 2025 at the NOOM Hotel in Abidjan. The ceremony was graced by the effective participation of H.E. Mrs. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture. The official launch of the information and awareness campaign was preceded by a public Town Hall meeting focused on raising awareness about ECOWAS cross-border trade policies and strategies, capacity building for women traders, the toolkit designed for small-scale cross-border women traders (border transparency and the fight against gender-based violence), and GIZ initiatives to boost intra-regional agri-food trade, improve coordination of regional policies, strengthen economic integration, and ensure food security. The launch event also saw the participation of the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d'Ivoire, the ECOWAS National Office in Côte d'Ivoire, the Abidjan Chamber of Commerce, representatives of associations of small-scale cross-border women traders, and technical and financial partners. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Zawya
23-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa's logistics sector set for transformation under new regulations
The final regulations for a block exemption for ports, rail and key feeder road corridors has been issued by South Africa's Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, in consultation with the Competition Commission. The regulations, which came into effect on 8 May 2025, provide a possible path for competitors, customers and suppliers involved in the rail, ports and road sector to collaborate to alleviate the challenges the sector is experiencing, without contravening the Competition Act 89 of 1998, as amended. Objective of the regulations The regulations aim to facilitate cooperation among market participants to address systemic inefficiencies and infrastructure challenges in South Africa's transport and logistics sectors. Specifically, the regulations aim to: - reduce costs, improve services, and minimise losses caused by operational inefficiencies and infrastructure capacity shortages; - prevent, mitigate and resolve bottlenecks and operational breakdowns in port and rail infrastructure; - contribute to measures aimed at resolving the challenges in the sector; and - ensure security of supply of goods transported through South Africa's ports, rails and key feeder road corridors. Scope of the exemption The regulations exempt specific categories of agreements and practices from the application of section 4 and 5(1) of the Competition Act, including the per se prohibitions on: - fixing purchase price or trading conditions (excluding the fixing of a selling price) (Section 4(1)(b)(i)) - dividing markets by allocating customers, suppliers, territories or specific types of goods or services (Section 4(1)(b)(ii)) Categories of exempted conduct The exemption enables coordination on ports and rail as well as key road corridors that feed this infrastructure. Ports - joint planning on port capacity and re-routing of cargo between ports - traffic flow coordination into ports, including sharing operational data (eg, stack levels, weather disruptions) - night operations coordination to ease peak-hour congestion - joint repair, maintenance and development of port infrastructure and facilities - collaboration on technical studies and assessments to enhance sector efficiency - joint investment or funding initiatives for infrastructure upgrades - shared use of independent consultants or technical experts Users of a particular congested terminal in a port may, for example, exchange information on the volumes and delivery methods for cargo they export through that terminal. They might then agree to stagger their deliveries and shipments on a coordinated basis, in coordination with the terminal operator, to relieve congestion at peak times and create greater efficiencies in cargo exports from that terminal. Rail - joint management and upgrading of rail logistics infrastructure - coordination on freight volumes to support dedicated rail services - shared locomotive capacity - reinstatement of services to strategic logistics nodes - integrated rail-port planning to streamline cargo flow - sector-focused collaborative studies - joint infrastructure funding or investment - shared procurement of independent advisory services By way of example, a particular rail corridor may not be utilised to its full design capacity because of ongoing maintenance challenges, or a shortage of rolling stock, or both. In this case, some or all of the exporters who use that rail corridor to export dry bulk commodities, for example, can jointly agree to fund and procure any maintenance, infrastructure upgrades and/ or rolling stock required to ensure the line performs to design capacity. This ensures that they each achieve their maximum export volumes. They might then agree with the network manager and rail transport provider that the funding is repaid over an agreed period of time by way of discounted tariffs from the rail transport provider. Key feeder road corridors that interface with ports and rail (limited to roads that are key feeder corridors) - joint maintenance and development of infrastructure - sector-wide technical studies to improve efficiency - shared investment in corridor upgrades - procurement and sharing of technical experts or consultants The relevant trucking industry bodies, for example, could agree jointly to commission and fund a technical study to reduce surface wear and congestion on a feeder road to a port. Exclusions The regulations specifically exclude the following conduct: - any discussions/ agreements on fixing the selling price of goods/ services - collusive tendering - any agreement that forecloses third-party access to rail infrastructure (such as new entrants, small- and medium-sized enterprises and historically disadvantaged persons) - any agreement or practice that conflicts with sector-specific legislation or policy - resale price maintenance - any merger transaction Application and approval process Firms seeking to rely on the exemption must submit a written request to the Commission for confirmation that the proposed conduct falls within the scope of the regulations. The Commission, after consultation with the relevant sector regulator and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, may: - approve the exemption (with or without safeguards) - decline the request if it falls outside the scope of the regulations The Commission is required to issue a decision within 30 business days, extendable by an additional 30 business days. If no decision is issued within the prescribed period, the agreement or practice is deemed approved. The Commission retains discretion to determine the duration of each exemption. Duration of the regulations The regulations will remain in force for an initial period of 15 years, with the option of a further 15-year extension, although this does not necessarily mean that agreements contemplated under the regulations will be permitted to endure between firms for 15 years. Upon withdrawal of the regulations, firms will be afforded a reasonable period to wind down any ongoing arrangements. Providers of port and rail services as well as customers purchasing these services or other firms in the sector who wish to utilise the exemption, need to ensure that their proposed conduct falls within the scope of the regulations and is approved by the Commission prior to engaging in these collaborations in order to avoid any risk of prosecution by the Commission. The exemption nevertheless creates a significant opportunity to rapidly improve and enhance efficiencies in the freight logistics sector. The various genres of exempt collaboration and cooperation present numerous opportunities for industry participants to be creative in their support of the logistics network for their greater good and that of the country as a whole. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
South China Morning Post
16-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Singapore, US to discuss ‘zero' or preferential tariffs on pharmaceutical exports
Singapore may be able to escape tariffs on pharmaceutical exports to the United States even if Washington goes ahead with plans to introduce this sectoral tariff, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Friday. The US has offered to discuss concessions for Singapore on these goods, he told reporters as part of an update on a task force he leads to address the impact of US tariffs. Mr Gan said the US wants to use the sectoral tariff to secure the supply chain for its pharmaceutical supplies. 'They have offered Singapore to say that, why not, both Singapore and US can sit down and discuss some form of a concession for Singapore to have a beneficial or preferential tariff, even to the extent of zero tariff for pharmaceutical exports to the US,' he said. That would require some effort from Singapore to ensure that the supply chain is secure. 'These are the details that we are discussing,' he added. Mr Gan, who is also Minister of Trade and Industry, said this is a significant opportunity and agreement for Singapore because pharmaceutical goods are an important part of the country's exports to the US.
