Regional trade facilitating agency TradeMark East Africa has today handed over Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Elegu One Stop Border Post (OSBP) frontline staff and informal cross border traders.

The delivery of PPEs at Elegu OSBP comes at the back of concentrated efforts undertaken by the government of Uganda and its partners to further curb the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus that caused havoc across the world.

The PPE presented at Elegu OSBP were funded by Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) through TradeMark East Africa’s Safe Trade Emergency Facility. Other OBSPs that have already benefited from this Safe Trade initiative are Busia and Mutukula.

Ulrik Jorgensen, Counsellor and Teamleader Growth Team at the Denmark in Uganda Embassy and Damali Ssali, the acting country director for TradeMark East Africa, Uganda delivered the PPE to Elegu OSBP. On hand to receive the PPE was Abel Kagumire, the Commissioner Customs at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

The personal protective equipment provided included but not limited to hand sanitizers, hand washing stations, liquid hand washing soap, infrared thermometer, re-usable safety boots, full protective PPE, filtering face piece respirator, reusable masks, plastic face shield, disposable gloves, hand sanitiser dispensers and disinfectant spray bottles.

While receiving the PPE, Abel Kagumire, the URA commissioner customs underscored the significance of the Elegu OSBP as a strategic border for Uganda.

 “As a country, we look at Elegu border as a strategic border for growing our exports. We have a lot of agricultural produce in Uganda which is needed in South Sudan. That is why we come up with processes that help facilitate exports. We are challenging our people to add value to the products that they export so that we earn even more from South Sudan. As government agencies, we are here to facilitate trade,” Kagumire said, adding;

“We thank our partners; TradeMark East Africa and the Danish Embassy for donating this Personal Protective Equipment. Allow me confirm that this equipment received today is not for the customs team alone but for all trade facilitation agencies operating here and informal traders.”

Ulrik Jorgensen, the Counsellor and Teamleader Growth Team at the Denmark in Uganda Embassy noted that he was happy that Trade was continuing even amidst challenges such as COVID-19 and floods in Elegu.

“It is very positive to see that Trade is still progressing even amidst some difficulties. COVID-19 has affected the whole world. Many places in Europe and North America are experiencing a second wave with countries being locked down again. Fortunately, we are not seeing the same here in Uganda. This because of the efforts that Uganda has managed to put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19. Uganda is in a very good place and we are happy to continue working with you to achieve even more success.”  

The equipment presented today will enhance the safety and working condition of front-line workers in key borders, which are critical arteries of trade in and out of Uganda and her neighbours.

These PPEs are part of the Safe Trade Emergency Facility, a USD 23 million emergency program rolled out by TradeMark East Africa in the East African region in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic that seeks to ensure regional economies continue to trade in a safe way, while curbing cross-border infections.

“We are handing over Personal Protective Equipment because we want to see that Safe Trade continues. People still have to trade, have to eat and live even if we are faced with COVID-19. These PPEs are for all border agencies operating here in Elegu and Informal Traders particularly Women Cross Border Traders. We have already delivered the same in Busia, Mutukula and Mirima,” Damali Ssali, the acting country director for TradeMark EA, Uganda noted, adding;

“The Safe Trade Emergency Facility that was developed by TradeMark EA and funded by our partners – Denmark includes the Safe Trade Zones. We are still in the planning of how to implement these Safe Trade Zones. The Safe Trade Zones are supposed to facilitate Informal Trade. It is not just about Formal Trade. There is a lot of Informal Trade happening in towns like Elegu, even amidst floods affecting this town. Our concept of the Safe Trade Zones is that the key markets that are near busy borders like Elegu, Mutukula and Busia should also be helped and facilitated to safely open and trade even when there is COVID-19. A lot of the people in these markets are Women and Youth. If they don’t have an income, it means also their families have no income. We have to support informal trade.”

Other interventions under the Safe Trade Emergency Facility include:  technology to enhance truck driver testing and tracking; the development and implementation of relevant protocols to enhance efficient and safe trade; supporting trade policy, standards and SPS; policy advocacy and improving e-commerce.  

Our Reporter.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Saturday 24^th October broke ground for the construction of the Gulu Logistics Hub. The same event doubled as the ground breaking for the rehabilitation of the Tororo-Gulu railway.

Other dignitaries that attended this landmark ceremony included Uganda’s Deputy Speaker, Hon Jacob Oulanyah, Cabinet Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, and European Union (EU) Ambassador to Uganda, Attilio Pacifici among others.

With support from European Union (EU) and the UK`s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) together with Ministry of Works and Transport and Uganda Railways Cooperation commenced construction in March 2020 of Euros 7.76M (about 33 billion Uganda Shillings) Trade Logistics Hub in Gulu, a move expected to stimulate trade in the region. The project currently at 25 per cent completion is expected to be completed before the end of 2021.

The Gulu Logistics Hub is expected to contribute to reduced barriers to trade for both Northern Uganda and the neighbouring countries of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Gulu Logistics Hub (GLH) will serve the trade corridors of Kampala – Gulu – Elegu/Nimule – Juba Trade Corridor; and Gulu – Pakwach Goli/Pader/Lira/Vurra DRC Trade Corridor. The hub will be able to handle more than 500,000 containers at a time.

The logistics hub is located on a 24.1 acres piece of land in Layibi division, Gulu Municipality which was allocated by the Uganda Railways Corporation. The hub is located adjacent to the current Gulu railway station and connects to the main roads to South Sudan and Kampala.

Major features of Gulu logistics hub in Uganda will include container and break-bulk, handling and storage facilities, space for stakeholders dealing with freight transport (freight forwarders, shippers and transport operators) and the provision of accompanying services such as customs inspections, tax payment, maintenance and repair, banking and information communication technology.

Following the ground breaking of these two flagship projects, President Museveni noted that the entire infrastructure such as roads, railway, logistics hub, and electricity that is being established in Northern Uganda and the rest of the country is for making it easier for Ugandans to travel and also make it cheaper for them to do business.  

“We have invested massively in the road network. The roads are for small cargo and that is for the short term. The real medicine to cargo transportation is the railway. When you transport cargo by road, it becomes very expensive. Transporting a 40 ft. container from Kampala to Mombasa by road using a lorry would cost USD 3600. But, if you transport the same cargo by railway, you spend about USD 1800, which is almost half when compared to road transport,” President Museveni said, adding;

“This reduction in transportation costs by almost half is when you are using the old (metre gauge) railway line.  If we are to use the new Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), it will be much cheaper. We have already worked on the roads. We are now repairing the old railway and establishing more infrastructure. We will also do the new railway (SGR).”

The EU Ambassador to Uganda, Attilio Pacifici, commented: “The Gulu Logistics Hub will help in the consolidation and exportation of the goods produced from the value chains in Northern Uganda, and will also facilitate the importation and distribution of goods within Northern Uganda for the transformation and improvement and those value chains. The works on the Logistics Hub are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021, but progress for the Government to build a 2km access road to the Hub remains uncertain. It would be a pity to have the whole project delayed by a simple access road, especially if the Hub is ready to operate next year as planned.”  

Andrew Ockenden, the  Development Director for the British High Commission in Kampala noted in a recorded video that; “The UK is committed to co-fund this multi-modal transport and warehousing project that will improve the capacity of transport and infrastructure in northern Uganda. It will also serve the export markets of South Sudan and DRC. The United Kingdom is committed to supporting trade and regional integrations agendas of Uganda and the East African community both through direct engagement and also through development programs like TradeMark East Africa. Like the government of Uganda, we understand that trade is central to Uganda’s development.”

TMEA is proud to be supporting the construction of the Gulu Logistics Hub, one of the many projects under its second phase of implementation which includes Trade Logistics Clusters in Jinja & Busia, construction of the Goli/ Mahagi One Stop Border Posts (OSBP), decentralization of standards testing and Phase II of the Uganda Electronic Single Window.

The acting Country Director for TradeMark East Africa, Uganda, Damali Ssali remarked that these and other trade facilitation efforts will “contribute to creation of additional employment opportunities as investors capitalise in the transport and manufacturing sectors and export growth. About 208,000 people are currently employed in the logistics sector in Uganda, a number that could rise to 522,000 by 2030. This project will certainly contribute to this.”

“Currently there is a significant imbalance of trade to South Sudan, Northern Uganda and DRC with very little exports coming from the region. To support exporters in the region, and to create new jobs and opportunities, we need a consolidation hub for exports, especially focused on agricultural trade. The presence of such a hub would allow for better negotiating power of exporters with transport providers as exporters would be able to access several transporters all at the same location,” Damali Ssali explained.

According to a World Bank study – Uganda Diagnostic Trade Integration Study – importers in South Sudan and DRC keep supplies in bonded facilities in Kampala before bringing them into either country when needed.

However, with the assurances of shorter lead times, Uganda has seen transit volumes grow, which has led to the emergence of a distribution industry especially in Jinja and Kampala.

In essence, the operationalization of the Gulu Logistics Hub will be a great relief to both traders and consumers as they will enjoy reduced costs of transportation and lower prices, respectively.

For consumers and brands alike, social media has become a powerful medium for sharing important causes and driving social-good movements.

Social Media Use in 2020
Studies show 97% of digital consumers have used social media in the past month and 84% of individuals with internet access use social media. Additionally, 50% of the world’s population uses social media, which translates to 3.8 billion people.

Consumers use a wide range of social platforms. The two most popular platforms are YouTube and Facebook, which are used by 73% and 69% of consumers, respectively. 37% of consumers use Instagram, and between 20% -28% of consumers use Pinterest, LinkedIn, SnapChat, Twitter, and What’sApp.

92% of Instagram users have either followed a brand, clicked on a brand’s website link, or made a purchase by using the site. 58% of Americans have become interested in a brand after seeing it on Facebook stories. 60% of Twitter users believe transparent, inclusive brands are more relevant. Additionally, plenty of businesses have tapped into social media’s potential: 140 million businesses have Facebook profiles, and $15 billion was spent on YouTube ads in 2019.

Social Good: What It Is and How It’s Done
Social good can be defined as engaging communities in person and on social media to create a positive impact. There are several ideas that can drive the promotion of social good, including sharing information about a cause, promoting events supporting social causes, creating content that drives meaningful engagement with a cause, and encouraging participation and donation by outlining the steps to do so.

Tips for Doing Social Good Using Social Media
Using social media for social good is a relatively new concept, so it’s important for business to keep a few tips in mind before planning a campaign.

Social Good the Right Way
Building an effective social good strategy involves several key components. For instance, it’s fundamental to choose a cause that complements or relates to your brand’s service or products. It’s also important to make sure you understand your values, make them a core part of your strategy, and ensure employee behavior aligns with these values.

Additionally, it’s important to make sure the individuals running the campaign have a connection to the cause. Avoid hiring celebrities or influencers who don’t have a personal connection to the cause. Instead, encourage employees and the community to speak about the cause and share their personal experiences.

When partnering with other brands, it’s important to make sure they share your values. This will help you reach a larger audience and promote community collaboration over competition. Don’t promote your brand in posts discussing the cause and remember to practice what you preach even when you think nobody’s looking. Along the way, interact with followers who are supporting your cause and thank them for their support and participation.

Brands Leading the Way
Brands have led many creative social-good campaigns, from donating water to women in developing countries to transforming San Francisco into Gotham to fulfill the wish of a 5-year-old cancer patient.

5 Brands and Campaigns That Nailed It
One example of a successful campaign was Garnier Men’s Powerlight a Village. The campaign created awareness of the lack of electricity in rural Indian villages by having people pedal bicycles that recorded the energy generated. Every like, share, and comment related to the activity provided a predetermined unit of energy.

Another successful campaign was Major Keys by Get Schooled. Featuring DJ Khaled as a spokesperson, the campaign raised awareness of the support available to first-generation college students by using Khaled-voiced content that encouraged participants to earn “badges” by passing web-based curricula associated with a soft skill.

A third campaign, Ford’s Invisible People Project, was built around the concept of giving a face to homeliness. The car giant did this by providing a Ford Flex and a company promoted social site to Mark Horvath, a former homeless individual that drove over 11,000 miles cross country interviewing homeless people.

Stella Artois partnered with Water.org – and spokesperson Matt Damon – to launch their Buy a Lady a Drink Campaign. The campaign provided women and their families in developing countries clean water for a month for every limited-edition bottle of Stella Artois purchased.

Finally, Clever Girls Collective and Make-a-Wish Greater Bay Area joined forces to create the #SFbatkid Campaign. The campaign fulfilled the wish of a 5-year-old cancer fighter named Miles by turning San Francisco into Gotham City and having Miles perform heroic acts around the city while dressed in a Batman suit.

Building Your Brand in a Good Way
By following best practices, social media can support social-good campaigns to reach huge audiences all over the world and create a lasting impact. Brands that put the needs of others before their own will be rewarded with increasing visibility to causes they are passionate about.