East Africa introduces App to eliminate cross-border trade restrictions
The East African Community (EAC) has unveiled a mobile application that eliminates Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to facilitate regional trade.
The EAC NTBs App is expected to streamline the reporting, monitoring, and resolution of restrictions that traders face when engaging in cross-border trade.
The mobile application was funded by the Netherlands through the non-profit trade organisation TradeMark Africa (TMA).
“The EAC NTBs App, seamlessly blending SMS, email, and phone reporting methods, offers economic operators a one-stop solution for effectively reporting Non-Tariff Barriers to trade. By streamlining the NTB reporting process, the App will aid traders and producers in tackling obstacles that impede their trade efficiency and competitiveness,” the EAC said in a statement.
The EAC deputy secretary Annette Ssemuwemba also said “We are dedicated to eradicating the barriers that impede economic growth, and integration. This innovative solution serves as a powerful tool to empower traders, producers and economic operators offering them with a unified platform to promptly address and resolve NTBs.”
The App allows users to report complaints in English, French and Swahili and is available on mobile App stores like Apple Store and Google Play Store.
The introduction of the EAC App comes in the wake of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and the growing calls by various African leaders to improve intra-continental trade within the region.
The AfCFTA was established by the African Union to improve cross-border trade within the region by reducing tariffs among member states.
