Burundi

<p>The objective of this project is to enhance the functionalities and effective use of Trade Facilitation Portals by beneficiary countries with a view to create a more conducing cross-border environment for traders through improved transparency and simplified trade formalities.<span>&nbsp;This project builds upon ITC - UNCTAD longstanding partnership in the area of trade facilitation and creates opportunities for further build synergies across the agencies&apos; respective technical assistance offering.</span></p>

<p>The project consists of national interventions under the Partner States Window of the EU-EAC Market Access Upgrade Programme - MARKUP funded by the 11th European Development Fund. The action aims at addressing both supply side and market access constraints in coffee, tea and horticulture sectors, supporting the participation in regional and global value chains, with a particular focus on exports to the European Union (EU). The selection of coffee, tea and horticulture sectors was guided by requests of country stakeholders identified during the project inception phase in 2016 and programming missions in 2017.&nbsp;</p><p>Despite the current transition and recovery from conflict, Burundi&apos;s economy is growing and accession of Burundi to EAC in 2007 offers great opportunities for increase in trade of agricultural products in the region. The EAC has already begun to play an important role for Burundi&apos;s expansion into horticulture products. However, significant trade barriers persist and severely inhibit Burundian exporters in the coffee, tea and horticulture sectors to integrate in regional and EU markets. &nbsp; If non-tariff barriers, such as quality requirements, TBT and SPS issues were reduced highly regulated and higher value markets, in particular the EU and EAC could be accessed. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>To prove compliance with quality standards and technical regulations, it is essential for Burundi to have a competent and internationally recognized quality infrastructure system. Hence, the goal and focus of the project will be on strengthening the National Quality Infrastructure services to enforce compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical regulations, with particular focus on coffee and tea sectors. Accordingly, the overall objective &quot;to contribute to economic development of Burundi&quot; and the specific objective to &quot;improve market access to EU and EAC region for Burundi agro-industrial and horticultural sectors&quot; shall be achieved through three expected results of project activities. the results are: 1) National Quality Infrastructure framework, inspection and certification services strengthened, 2) Laboratory testing capacities for coffee/tea improved and 3) Quality related extension services strengthened.</p><p><br></p>

<p>The overall objective of the proposed project is to attract investment and promote trade and sustainable industrial and business development at continental level, concretely supporting the AfCFTA Secretariat and the African Union and delivering on the Africa-EU partnership for sustainable growth and jobs.&nbsp;</p><p>The project contributes to this objective by</p><ul><li>identifying trade and investment opportunities along regional value chains with potential at continental scale in Africa, including potential for investment by EU economic operators;</li><li>Strengthening the EU-Africa dialogue on trade and economic integration, informing high-level events such as the upcoming AU-EU Summit and European- African Business Forum (EABF)</li><li>identifying pilot/selected continental value chains that could be targeted for support in the EU 2021-27 aid programming exercise.</li></ul><p>It supports the implementation of the AfCFTA and ITC&apos;s One Trade Africa Initiative.</p>

<p>The Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) is a regional initiative aiming at improving market access to the European Union (EU) and the East African region for five East Africa Community (EAC) partner countries - Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda - agro-industrial crop and horticultural sectors. MARKUP is funded by the EU 11th European Development Fund over the period 2018-2022. The Program will be implemented by various partners, including ITC, GIZ, UNIDO and other partners that will be selected by the EAC Partner States. &nbsp;The intervention of ITC will entail the implementation of the activities to improve product quality compliance, value addition, access to finance and business promotion as well as business advocacy to facilitate trade in the EAC region.&nbsp;</p><p><a name="_ftn7" title="" href="#_ftnref7"></a></p><p><a name="_ftn7" title="" href="#_ftnref7"></a></p>