The United States Agency on Aid and Development (USAID) launched the Competitiveness and Trade Expansion (COMPETE) program aimed at enhancing economic growth and food security in Eastern and Central Africa (ECA). The project will stimulate trade and competitiveness by reducing trade barriers, improving market access and furthering regional integration in Eastern Africa.  The project will run from 11th February 2009 to 1st March 2013 and will be headquartered in Nairobi.

On trade facilitation, the program aims at reducing clearance times at select border posts, removing unnecessary red tape and lobbying for policy changes that will support increased transit efficiency in the ECA region. It will look at the cost structure of corridors in relation to value chains, compile data on quality and efficiency of corridors for benchmarking, and accelerate technology use to improve efficiency.

On trade policy, work will center on EAC Customs Union, COMESA FTA and the proposed Customs Union, COMESA/EAC, SADC tripartite process with an aim at harmonizing the trade regimes across the three blocs, regional and multilateral trade agreement, and reduction of NTBs.

The project also has interventions planned for the textile and floriculture industry, specialty foods, and commercial crafts and home accessories under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which has been extended to 2015. The intervention will involve firm level technical assistance, market linkages through trade shows, AGOA workshops amongst others.

COMPETE, with support from the End Hunger in Africa (IHEA) Initiative, will work to reduce poverty by increasing small scale farmers’ access to commercial staple food markets.

For more details, visit COMPETE