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Under the strategy, TMA aims to raise and invest about $700m, support a 33% increase in Africa’s exports to the rest of the world, contribute to increasing the value of intra-African trade by $70b, and directly create and enhance 400,000 jobs by 2030
Safia Boly Mali’s investment expert. (Courtesy photo)
By: Simon Okitela,Journalist
________________ TradeMark Africa (TMA) has stepped up efforts to advance the next phase of its 2023-2030 strategy to support inclusive, greener and digitally enabled trade across Africa.This plan, dubbed Strategy 3, aims to reduce trade costs, increase efficiency, and contribute to job creation across the African Continent.Initially, TradeMark EastAfrica, TMA’sinvestment will focus on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the decarbonization of trade and logistics processes in sub-Saharan Africa.Under the strategy, TMA aims to raise and invest about $700m, support a 33% increase in Africa’s exports to the rest of the world, contribute to increasing the value of intra-African trade by $70b, and directly create and enhance 400,000 jobs by 2030.It further seeks to raise the value of its exports to the rest of the world from $500b to $650 b. By boosting exports, TMA’s plan will directly create jobs.The blueprint backs the decarbonization of trade and logistics processes in sub-Saharan Africa. It will leverage green investmentsto the tune of$180 million.What’s more, it will facilitate enterprises and governments through automated systems to ease cross-border trade. Further, it will hasten the movement of goods across select trade and transport corridors.The implementation phase comes as Trademark Africa (TMA) announced the appointment of top governance leaders from within Africa to execute the strategy.
These include Monique Nsanzabaganwa from Rwanda, Safia Boly Mali’sinvestment expert and Jaswinder Bedi, a Kenyan industrialist.The appointment adds senior private-sector, agricultural transformation and continental economic governance experience, while broadening representation as TMA expands across Africa.According to TMA Board Chair, Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, the appointments are expected to strengthen the Board’s oversight and strategic depth as the organisation expands its work across the continent.“The incoming directors each bring a perspective that matters to TMA’s work, including enterprise, agriculture, finance and continental policy. As TMA grows its work across Africa, that range of experience will help keep the Board close to both the politics of trade and the realities faced by African firms that produce and trade across borders,” Boshe explained.
TMA Chief Executive Officer David Beer said the appointments reflected the practical demands of export growth, adding that their work is about helping African businesses reach markets with greater confidence.“Monique, Safia and Jaswinder bring exactly the kind of strategic insights and policy experience that will strengthenTMA workswith Governments, businesses and international partners to remove trade barriers, and reduce the cost and time of moving goods across borders.”Who are the new appointees
Nsanzabaganwa, a senior public sector executive with over two decades of experience, is the immediate former Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (2021 to 2025).A member of Africa’s G20 Africa expert panel, Nsanzabaganwa previously served as Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister of State in charge of Economic Planning. Safia Boly joins the Board alongside her role as Senior Vice President for Africa at Heifer International, where she leads programmes across twelve African countries reaching nearly 860,000 farming households.A former Minister in the Government of Mali, she is also a member of the World Economic Forum Global Futures Council. brings on board experience across public policy, agricultural transformation, enterprise development and private-sector finance.Jaswinder Bedi is Managing Director of Bedi Investments Limited and Executive Director of Fine Spinners Uganda Limited.He brings over four decades of experience in manufacturing, export development and private-sector advocacy, with significant investments across.He chairs the Kenya Private Sector Alliance,Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency and is Vice-Chair of the East African Business Council.The new appointees are succeeding Patricia Ojangole, the CEO of Uganda Development Bank and Gabriel Negatu, who are retiring as non-executive directors after completing their tenure.They join an expanded BoardreflectingTMA’s growing footprint across East, West, Central and Southern Africa.TMA’s Board provides strategic oversight to the organisation as it works with governments, regional economic communities, development partners and the private sector to make trade across Africa more efficient, inclusive and resilient.
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