Political tensions have plagued the Middle East for a long time, each with unique consequences in the region and the world in general. The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has, however, drawn attention to the region, with substantial implications for the stability of global supply chains. The Middle East is…
Experts argue that imports of second-hand clothing are not solely responsible for the stagnation of domestic textile industries. Other factors such as, imports of poor quality low-cost new clothing from Asia, inadequacies in investment in textile production and poor cotton yields among others bear the blame. Uganda…
A United Nations Commission for Africa Report 2022 found that women are more affected by transport-related challenges because they tend to spend a significant portion of their income on transportation. Interruptions in transport infrastructure (such as road, water, and rail) have far-reaching consequences, affecting sectors such as trade,…
The COVID-19 pandemic created an urgency to fast-track digitalization as a critical infrastructure for access to public services, as well as work and social interactions. Despite this shift, the digital divide between the poor and rich, rural, and urban areas, and men and women has become more evident.…
Nine months after the Russian-Ukraine war broke out, countries afar continue to feel the impact. It is indeed argued that the war has affected global trade as the dual are main suppliers of commodities such as wheat, sunflower, fertilizer, fuel and metals, among others[i]. Sanctions have seen consumers…
In May 2022, the East African Community (EAC) partner states adopted a 35 percent levy as the common tax to be levied on select commodities imported from outside the bloc. The commodities in this tariff bracket include; dairy and meat products, cereals, cotton and textiles, iron and steel,…
Urbanization is a vehicle to economic prosperity, yet it results in simultaneous growth of slums and gentrification which exacerbate urban poverty. This is due to the rise in rural-urban migration, inadequate planning for productive infrastructure (roads and markets) and communal infrastructure such as health and education facilities, and…
In July 2020, new cities were created to improve physical planning, implementation of activities and administration. It was also a prerequisite for the country to achieve upper-middle-income status under Vision 2040. The municipalities of Arua, Gulu, Mbale, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara, and Fort Portal were uplifted to city status,…
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) play an important role in the economy such as providing numerous employment opportunities and generating innovations in all sectors thereby promoting competition and efficient resource allocation. There are a myriad of ways to define MSMEs: size of capital investment, the number of…
Relations between Rwanda and Uganda hit a new low in 2019 with the closure of the border causing enormous disruptions to cross-border trade and movement of persons. According to Southern and Eastern African Trade, Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI), more than 6,000 small-scale traders were affected. Furthermore, the…