EASSI SIGNS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH UGANDA EXPORT PROMOTION BOARD AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO BOOST INFORMAL CROSS BORDER IN THE REGION

L-R: Marren Akatsa-Bukachi (EASSI), Elizabeth Kata (UEPB) and Awel Uwihanganye (UNCCI) shake hands after the signing of the MOU that seeks to boost informal cross border trade in the EAC Partner States

This morning, EASSI represented by Marren Akatsa-Bukachi (Executive Director) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB) and the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI) to boost informal cross border trade in the EAC Partner States. The MOU seeks to foster pooling of resources to collectively build women trader's capacity, advance the simplified trade regime and find solutions to challenges faced by the informal traders at the different border points of Katuna, Kanyaru, Busia, Mutukula and Namanga.

As per the Memorandum of Understanding, EASSI, UEPB and UNCCI undertake to perform jointly several activities. These include:

·         Strengthening cross border women associations at the borders and building the members capacity to trade and manage their businesses better;

·         Simplifying trade processes and procedures for the informal women cross border traders;

·         Advocacy for women;

·         Forging strategic alliances with the existing COMESA Cross Border Trade coordinating secretariat (UNCCI) among other border agencies

·         Seeking buy-in of other players to facilitate trade

·         Provision of Trade Information

The ultimate goal of the above mentioned interventions is to have women graduate to formal trade.

EASSI, given that it is a gender based organization, is looking into issues of gender based violence, HIV/AIDS and what the EAC can do to engender informal cross border trade that is mainly dominated by women. EASSI has so far trained over 500 women informal cross border traders at some of the border points of the EAC as well as opened five resource centers that are managed by coordinators. The resource centers are meant to avail women with information on how to go about their businesses because information is a strong tool for the economic empowerment of women.

EASSI under her ongoing project on engendering wealth creation in the EAC with the support of Trade Mark East Africa has also trained and co-trained with customs officials at the borders on the customs union protocol.

All the three institutions are optimistic that the interventions will have an impact on the women at the borders.