![[Burundi] Trademark East Africa identifies interventions and location to enhance cross border trade](burundi trade.jpg)
[Burundi] Trademark East Africa identifies interventions and location to enhance cross border trade
TradeMark East Africa has proposed the need to adapt its engagement in Burundi by investing in projects that strengthen new export potential value chains, enhance cross border trade and increase the country’s participation in the regional market.
The institution has identified a specific location in the country through geo-spatial methods where interventions will be implemented with the overall vision of improving the country’s trade balance in a phased manner, create jobs for traders and distributors and reduce poverty.
TMEA has identified the ‘Greater Imbo Region’ as the location to implement its new programming. This is the zone stretching from Cibitoke in the North of Burundi bordering Rwanda, to Makamba in the South neighbouring Tanzania.
TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) banks its investment on the potential of the Imbo Region which contributes 30 percent of Burundi’s staple crop production, 70 percent of fish stock and distribution, 30 percent of livestock and 45 percent of national milk production.
Aime Nzoyihera, Acting Country Director for Burundi underlined that “The Growth Hub programme seeks to diversify exports through cross-border with DRC and the EAC neighbouring countries, create employment and increase income for the people in the selected sub-sectors.”
The region is also rich in tropical fruit plantations such as pineapple, passion fruit, mandarin, mangoes, and tomatoes. The area also grows palm trees which is used to produce oil for cooking and soap manufacturing.
The rich natural resources supports and holds potential to increase economic activity in the region where people can tap into fishing, producing commercial items such as juices, palm oil, soaps, etc., along with staple crops of cassava, maize and rice.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry at the office of the President responsible for EAC affairs said at the opening “Your presence is a sign that shows the interest that you attach to the development of this region of Imbo, of Burundi and beyond the whole region of the East African community.”
The session ended with a set of recommendations that will be incorporated in the final document and presented to TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) National Oversight Committee for the final approval. The Committee is chaired by the Ministry of EAC affairs in Burundi.
