Lift will achieve its objectives through the use of similar grants to the private sector on a competitive basis. At least 50 per cent of the capital for the projects will be contributed by private industry players. Grants will vary in size according to the challenges a specific partnership will try to address, but typically grants will be up to Sh42 million ($500,000).
“Trade can lift countries out of poverty for good, but bad infrastructure, lengthy delays, and red tape mean that goods often struggle to get to the market. We need to find new ways to unblock bottlenecks and make East African countries more competitive.
Backed by Britain, this new project could help reduce transport times in the region by 15 per cent over the next three years,” said UK International Development secretary Justine Greening during the launch.
TMEA chief executive Frank Matsaert cited the high freight charges as some of the challenges that the bloc is plagued with.
“The East African region continues to be overwhelmed by high costs of doing business. Transport and logistics costs are predominant drivers of this inefficiency estimated at 42 per cent of the total value of imports and as high as 75 per cent of the value of exports,” said Mr Matsaert.
According to the CEO, a 10 per cent reduction in transport costs is likely to increase trade by 25 per cent worldwide, more in Africa where the charges are higher.
“Without logistics efficiency problems being addressed, East Africa’s growth potential will be seriously constrained,” he warned.
Other governments supporting the project include Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Sweden, and the US. It is set to provide matching grants on a competitive basis to leverage substantial private sector investment into freight and other logistics technologies and business processes in East Africa.
“By improving the efficacy of the transport and logistics industry in East Africa, the Lift Fund is poised to help turn the region into one of the economic powerhouses of the continent,” said the regional director for private sector development, Ms Lisa Karanja. “Lift is implemented by the TradeMark East Africa Challenge Fund (TRAC), which aims to promote cross-border trade in East Africa by investing in good ideas that can boost trade and contribute to economic growth in the region,” said the TMEA fund manager, Mr Isaac Njoroge.
Source: www.nation.co.ke