The African Resilience & Investment Series for Executives (ARISE) project helped 2000+ African women in agriculture-focused SMEs with coaching and skills training to help their recovery from impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

<h1 style="text-align:center;">ARISE Re-launches on the Last Week of September 2022</h1>Over the course of 2021, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and RENEW reached 1,382 women-owned and -led agri-businesses in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through the design, launch and successful execution of the African Resilience &amp; Investment Series for Women Executives (ARISE) Program in 2021.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/BOLG_2x_841ad93c4d.jpg"></figure>The ARISE program was designed with the knowledge that agriculture holds the key to broad-based economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in Africa, and with the understanding that the COVID-19 global pandemic had a severe impact on women-owned and -led agri-businesses in Africa. The ARISE program had the goal of addressing issues that can help the businesses boost their capacity to cope, recover and build resilience to future shocks.The ARISE program covered critical and relevant business and skills capacity topics over a series of five training programs, including recovery during a crises and business contingency planning, executive and financial management, leadership skills, investment readiness and pitching to secure third party finance, as well as emotional support and networking sessions. The training programs included the&nbsp; Investment Seminar, Accelerated Women Executives’ Program, Investment Preparation, Pitch Coaching sessions and Peer-to-Peer Support (i.e., virtual coffee sessions).&nbsp;&nbsp;While the ARISE program was successful in engaging with strong and dynamic women and creating a platform through which agri-businesses could come together to learn best practices, attend coaching and support sessions, obtain essential tools to implement learnings, and network with industry peers and discuss the ways to recover and build the groundwork of resilience for their businesses, there’s more to be done.&nbsp; AGRA’s promotion of women’s economic empowerment within the agriculture sector and addressing the persisting problems they face is not meant to be a one time thing, rather it’s a continuous expedition of breaking the barriers impeding growth of agri-businesses in Africa.&nbsp;With the feedback, learnings and key takeaways from the ARISE program the AGRA and RENEW project teams will be enhancing the ARISE program and providing strengthened and further tailored training programs over the coming 4 months. During this period, members of AGRA’s VALUE4HER platform will have the opportunity to go through an intensive upskilling and reskilling program, wherein the original suite of training programs will all be improved to better address self-identified business and skills gaps, as well as bridge the confidence, self-esteem and ambition setting gaps that were observed as part of the post program survey for the original ARISE program. The ARISE project teams believe the enhanced trainings will better meet women-led and -owned agri-businesses’ needs in terms of content, tools and engagement, and we look forward to working with AGRA-supported companies again in the coming months.&nbsp;Note: Be sure to watch your inbox, the Value4Her platform and RENEW’s marketing channels for announcements regarding training dates and times for the above mentioned key sessions. We encourage you to be one of the futuristic, growth-minded and exemplary women agri-preneurs who participate and strive to make a mark on economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in Africa.&nbsp; &nbsp;

ARISE Re-Launches The Last Week of September 2022!

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ARISE Re-launches the Last Week of September 2022

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Join us at the Audacious Angels Summit &amp; Future of Impact Summit 2022!</h1>RENEW is thrilled to announce that its founders and other members of the Impact Angel Network will be participating in two online global impact investing summits.During the September 12 to 14 <a href="https://www.jellycorn.io/impact-summit2022">Future of Impact Summit 2022,</a> &nbsp;hosted by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/xoco-unlimited/">XOCO Unlimited</a>, RENEW Managing Partner Laura Davis will serve as a panelist for a plenary session titled Women Entrepreneurs, Debunking Stereotypes through Innovation. The summit brings together hundreds of impact-driven entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem players from more than 50 countries to connect, learn and inspire action towards an equitable, inclusive and sustainable future on the journey to the SDGs 2030. And, as noted by its title, the plenary session seeks to showcase amid a male-dominated businessworld the unique ways women creatively tackle and solve complex problems.“I appreciate Jessica Espinoza’s approach to change and am happy to lend my perspective on this important topic as a female entrepreneur who works with other female entrepreneurs in East Africa,” said Laura Davis recently.RENEW's CEO Matt Davis, who is also a co-founder of RENEW’s Impact Angel Network, will facilitate a panel of angel investors which includes two of our own IAN members, Aaron White and Maureen O'Shea during the September 15 to 16 <a href="https://www.jellycorn.io/angels-summit2022">Audacious Angels Summit 2022</a>. That summit brings together aspiring and experienced angel investors from around the world to demystify angel investing and “supercharge” the next generation of diverse angels.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/Audatious_2x_dce2e59d7d.jpg"></figure><ul><li>Future of Impact Summit - September 13 - Women Entrepreneurs – Debunking Stereotypes through Innovation - 4 PM EST - <a href="https://www.eventbrite.de/e/future-of-impact-summit-2022-tickets-335868400427">Get Ticket&nbsp;</a></li><li>Audacious Angels Summit -&nbsp; September 15 - A Showcase of Renew Capital Angels, 17:00 - 18:00 CET, 11:00 - 12:00 PM EST, 11:00 - 00:00 AM Singapore - <a href="https://www.eventbrite.de/e/audacious-angels-summit-2022-tickets-336000706157">Get Ticket</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;</li></ul>100% of tickets are charitable donations for <a href="https://xocounlimited.org/">XOCO</a> empowering vulnerable girls to escape gender-based violence and leapfrog to digital jobs of the future!&nbsp; <a href="https://xocounlimited.org/empowergirls">Learn more here</a>.&nbsp;

RENEW is thrilled to announce that its founders and other members of the Impact Angel Network will be participating in two online global impact investing summits. 

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Join us at the Audacious Angels Summit & Future of Impact Summit 2022!

<h1>Ethiopia’s Trucking and Logistics Sector is Ripe for Tech Optimization and Disruption</h1>Five reasons why we believe strategic investment in Ethiopia's trucking, transportation and logistics sector could unlock the country for major growth:&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Implementation of technology has dramatically decreased trucking costs in other East African countries, specifically Kenya.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Investing in transportation, trucking and logistics in Ethiopia can increase the country’s international competitiveness.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The sector is ripe for technological optimization with solutions including route optimization, vehicle space optimization, matching supply and demand, price transparency and delivery time predictions.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The Ethiopian government is interested in engaging private investment in this sector.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">While there is a 49/51 majority Ethiopian ownership requirement for all shipping and freight forwarding agency services, trucking within Ethiopia is 100% open to foreign company ownership for loads over 25 tons.</li></ul><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="/uploads/BHA_Truck_photo_TT_and_L_917cca23b1.jpeg" alt="Image of Two Large Trucks in the Logistics Transportation Sector: Two large trucks parked at a logistics hub in Ethiopia, showcasing the potential for technology integration in the trucking industry."></figure><hr>From late 2020 through February 2021, the <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/organization/bureaus/bureau-humanitarian-assistance">United States Agency for International Development, Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance</a> (USAID BHA) conducted a <a href="https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00XFMD.pdf">Private Sector Landscape Assessment (PSLA)</a> to identify areas of aligned interest between USAID BHA priorities and the private sector operating in Ethiopia in order to create more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive programs in Ethiopia. From this research, USAID BHA identified Ethiopia’s trucking, transportation, and logistics sector and the promotion of urban to rural linkages for the country’s rural business ecosystem as high impact opportunities for development and growth.To build on the findings of the PSLA, USAID BHA partnered with RENEW to conduct a three phase project covering a 12-month period. The first phase of the project, which was completed in June 2022 included a market assessment on the current state of Ethiopia’s transportation, trucking and logistics sector, with recommendations for private sector engagement and assistance opportunities. In phase two of the project, which kicks off in Q3 of 2022, RENEW will test and pilot project ideas in the field. Phase three will focus on scaling successful pilot interventions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Below, RENEW has summarized what the project team views as exciting opportunities based on our Phase I market assessment findings regarding Ethiopia’s transportation, trucking and logistics sector.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="/uploads/Screen_Shot_2022_08_24_at_10_57_16_AM_a741b4327d.png" alt="Image of Ethiopia Map with Comparisons to India, Pakistan, and China: Map of Ethiopia highlighting key transportation routes, with comparative logistics cost statistics against India, Pakistan and China."></figure>In 2016, Ethiopia scored 2.37 out of 5 in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index – significantly lower than neighboring and similar countries. The stakeholders most impacted by persisting barriers in the transportation, trucking and logistics sector are local SMEs, exporters, end consumers and humanitarian organizations. For example, while Ethiopia’s textile labor costs have been comparable to labor costs in southeast Asia, the transportation of a 20-foot container of garments from Ethiopia to Germany costs 247% more than from Vietnam and 72% more than from Bangladesh. Similarly, when comparing Ethiopia’s logistics costs with those in other parts of the world, RENEW found that while shipping in Ethiopia costs $0.11 USD per ton per km, it costs just $0.02 USD in India and Pakistan, and $0.05 USD in China. This underscores the untapped potential for Ethiopia’s industries if transportation costs are reduced and optimized. Logistics and transportation costs are similarly high throughout East Africa. Moreover, in a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in 2021, the cost of moving a product from a factory to the consumer in Africa adds an average of 320% to the manufactured good’s cost, which can lead to a markup as high as 700%.&nbsp;Unlocking Ethiopia’s and Africa’s potential is dependent on the reduction of these costs and provides a significant opportunity for the private sector to invest in technologies that will reduce trucking costs and position East Africa as an international competitor.Overall, research indicated that poor infrastructure, limited applications of technology, and a shortage of vehicles were key barriers to efficiency and growth in the sector. For context, industry experts estimate that Ethiopia currently has 16,000 vehicles, while Kenya (with less than half the population compared to Ethiopia) has over 100,000 vehicles. Moreover, 44.6% of trucks in Ethiopia are more than 10 years old. To make matters worse, 50% of trucks are below their maximum operational capacity.That being said, the Ethiopian government has indicated that it is eager to promote private sector engagement and innovation in the transportation, trucking and logistics sector. For example, Minister of Transport, H.E. Dagmawit Moges indicated in a 2020 op-ed that “the transport and logistics service has for too long been traditional, overly [centralized] and rigidly controlled,” and utilizing innovative technologies to meet the “immediate demands and needs of citizens should be the focus.”Considering these factors, the project team believes the sector is on the cusp of explosive growth that would be hastened with the introduction of emerging logistics technologies, greater transparency and increased competition, all of which could be accomplished through a well-coordinated effort by humanitarian organizations and private sector actors.To inform our strategy, the project team has conceptualized the trucking, transportation, and logistics sector as two separate operating environments as demonstrated by the graphic below:<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:88.27%;"><img src="/uploads/Screen_Shot_2022_08_24_at_10_57_37_AM_ccfa386f97.png" alt="Graphic showing Ethiopia's trucking sector: the monopolized segment by ESLSE and the private sector 'opportunity zone' for innovation."></figure>First, A-B transit, which is controlled by the government-owned Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise (ESLSE), does not provide a significant opportunity for successful intervention investment. Additionally, non-profit organizations including TradeMark East Africa, have already signed MOUs with the Ethiopian government to address challenges facing this part of the process. Rather, RENEW believes there is a compelling consideration for private sector engagement and investment in technological tools supporting the B-C-D portion of the process. We term this “the opportunity zone.” Currently, truck owners and companies operating in the opportunity zone are not sufficiently tech-enabled and contracts are controlled by middlemen and commission agents, which increase costs for consumers and humanitarian organizations. To sum it up, B-C-D trucking is a de facto “gig economy” controlled by brokers with cell phones, manually distributing jobs amongst their contacts. In our estimation, technological tools could greatly decrease inefficiencies and costs. Through conversations with industry experts, the project team has determined that the below technological interventions are needed in order to optimize B-C-D logistics in Ethiopia:<ul><li>Cargo tracking to predict arrival times</li><li>Price transparency tools</li><li>Route optimization for speed and fuel efficiency</li><li>Vehicle space optimization</li><li>Vehicle supply and cargo owner shipping demand matching to activate idle vehicles</li></ul>Importantly, technological disruptions have been successful in other East African countries. For example, in 2016, a private logi-tech company called Lori Systems, developed a tech-enabled platform to optimize Kenya’s trucking sector. Since 2016, the company has reported that it has reduced trucking costs by up to 20% just by implementing technology. By developing a targeted tech-enabled investment approach, we believe the same could be true for Ethiopia.&nbsp;Just as important, emerging logi-tech companies with visions and ideas for implementing these solutions already exist in Addis Ababa. Given the current context, RENEW believes that private sector engagement and interventions that focus on technology and avoid purchasing and/or financing asset-heavy trucks (due to limited forex to purchase spare parts, high relative cost of fuel, and limited skilled labor to service vehicles) is a strategy worth considering. From here, the project team plans to build on findings of this market assessment and determine if capital can be mobilized to benefit Ethiopia’s trucking, transportation and logistics companies operating in the opportunity zone. In doing so, Ethiopia’s domestic, regional and international trade potential could be unlocked.&nbsp;

Five reasons why we believe strategic investment in Ethiopia's trucking, transportation and logistics sector could unlock the country for major growth

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Ethiopia’s Trucking and Logistics Sector is Ripe for Tech Optimization and Disruption

<h1 style="text-align:center;">RENEW’s Legal Corner: March 2022</h1>Our take on the legal developments related to the investment landscape in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="/uploads/097_A2814_f27fb82728.jpg"></figure><hr>ETHIOPIAParliament Approves the Proclamation Lifting the State of Emergency &nbsp;Following the push several months ago from the Tigray People Liberation Front (“TPLF”) southwards to the capital, Addis Ababa, the federal government of Ethiopia declared a nationwide state of emergency, which later was enacted by the House of Peoples Representative (“Parliament”) as <a href="http://unidoseoul.org/en/?p=7249&amp;ckattempt=1">Proclamation No. 5/2021</a>. The main aim of the proclamation was to avert the threat posed by the TPLF, which is declared a ‘terrorist group’ by the federal government. Accordingly, a command post was established under the state of emergency proclamation, which was empowered to impose curfews, cause the termination of any means of communication and public transportation, and oversee activities of civil society organizations and activities of mass media and journalists, with the authority to revoke their license, among others. When enacted, the state of emergency had an expiry period of six months effective from the date of enactment, November 2, 2021.However, following the successful push back of the TPLF group to Tigray by the federal government, the Council of Ministers proposed for the state of emergency to be lifted as the threat from TPLF is no longer prevalent. As a result, the Parliament approved the recommendation and lifted the state of emergency on February 15, 2022, before the expiry date. According to the statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the threat has reached a stage where law enforcement could be implemented by regular operation. The approval came after three weeks from the proposal by the Council of Ministers.The lifting of the state of emergency is seen as a positive development for the business community. Perhaps one of the most significant impacts of the lifting of the emergency is seen on the performance of the Ethiopian sovereign bonds. Following the expression of intention to lift the state of emergency by the government, the Ethiopian bonds witnessed a swing from near-worst to best performing. According to Bloomberg, “Ethiopia’s bonds are the best-performing sovereign debt in emerging markets this year.” The bonds have rallied 6 cents on the dollar following the announcement by the Prime Minister’s Office that the security threat had diminished. That brings returns this year to 13%, the best performance out of 80 developing nations tracked by Bloomberg. As a result of the war, the securities lost 28% last year alone, which was the worst performance after El Salvador.Executive Organs Proclamation Published&nbsp;One of the first tasks undertaken by the newly formed government when it took office on October 4, 2021 was restructuring the executive branch of the Federal Government. During its first session, the newly formed Parliament enacted a proclamation that defines the powers and responsibilities of the executive organs of the government. This has created a number of changes in the structure, from their nomenclature to restructuring their responsibilities and accountabilities. However, despite this being the first act of the Parliament, we had to wait for four months until the final proclamation defining their powers and accountabilities was published in the Federal Negarit Gazette. This month, the printouts of the Proclamation have been made available to the public, which is called the Definition of Powers and Duties of the Executive Organs Proclamation No. 1263/2021.&nbsp;One of the major reasons for the restructuring, per the preambles of the proclamation, is the need to establish an organizational structure that allows coordinated work that is efficient and cost-effective, helps reduce wastage and ensures accountability. Previous laws have not been able to establish an accountable organizational structure and designation of institutions and, as a result, it was impossible to ensure the continuity of institutions and uniformity of designation.&nbsp;Accordingly, the organizational structure has tried to classify government bodies into seven major categories, which are:Ministry - A ministry is led by a minister. It is mainly responsible for formulating sectoral policies, strategies and programs, and related matters and oversees and coordinates its implementation. Accordingly, 22 ministries are established per the proclamation. Major changes in this category are: the Ministry of Trade and Industry is divided into two different ministries, which are the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration and the Ministry of Industry. In addition, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs changed its name to the Ministry of Labour and Skills, which under the new structure overtook the roles and responsibilities of the Jobs Creation Commission.&nbsp;&nbsp;Commission - A commission can be accountable to a Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Office or the Parliament. It coordinates the activities of different executive organs, formulates policies and strategies and oversees its implementation. The Ethiopian Investment Commission and the Customs Commission are the noteworthy organs in this category.&nbsp;Authority - An authority performs a regulatory function, issues standards and ensures their compliance with the same. It could be accountable to a Ministry, however, if there is a potential conflict with the activities of an institution to which it is accountable, it could be made accountable to the Prime Minister or other government organs. The Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority is a regulatory organ to note in this category.&nbsp;Administration or Development - An administration or development organ mainly conducts regular development and infrastructure development activities and oversees the same. One major introduction in this category is the introduction of Ethiopian Investment Holdings as a sovereign wealth fund that is independent of the Public Enterprise Holding and Administration and reporting to the Prime Minister. The Ethiopian Entrepreneurship Development is another organ established, which took over the roles and responsibilities of the Federal Small and Medium Manufacturing Industry Development Agency.&nbsp;&nbsp;Service - This is a new designation for government organs. It is used for institutions that are mainly established to provide centralized services necessary for government organs or provide services mainly to citizens. One of the major introductions under this category is the Documents Authentication and Registration Services, which used to be an agency in the past.&nbsp;Office - An office is an institution established for temporary or permanent purposes under special circumstances to conduct mainly activities that require special attention and institutional arrangement by uniformly coordinating different institutions.&nbsp;Institute - An institute is accountable to the relevant Ministry or another government organ that mainly focuses on training, study, research and consulting services. One of the major introductions in this category is the establishment of the Innovation and Technology Gifted and Talented Development Institute, whose powers are to be defined by regulation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Furthermore, one may notice that the number of executive organs that are accountable to the Prime Minister has increased. There are now seventeen executive organs that directly report to the Prime Minister.English Version of Commercial Code PublishedAs part of the economic reform program and to improve the country’s ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business ranking, the government started the process of updating the <a href="https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/et/et014en.pdf">six-decade old commercial code</a>. Accordingly, the Parliament adopted the new Commercial Code under Proclamation No. 1243/2021 (“<a href="https://chilot.me/2021/10/25/proclamation-no-1243-2021-commercial-code-english-version/">New Commercial Code</a>”), which came into effect in March 2021. However, the business community, especially foreign investors, has been waiting to get the printouts of the English version of the code. The wait has come to an end this month. The printouts of the English version of the New Commercial Code were made available to the business community.&nbsp;The New Commercial Code has made several changes to the old one, which principally is associated with its incompatibility with the current state of doing business. Many things have changed during the past six decades which made the repealed code outdated and inadequate to regulate current trade developments. Learn more about the changes <a href="https://www.renewcapital.com/resources/blogs/The%20Commercial%20Code%20of%20Ethiopia%20is%20Changing%20How%20the%20Country%20Does%20Business">here</a>.Parliament Approves the Enactment of the Private Employees Pension Proclamation&nbsp;The Parliament enacted a new <a href="https://chilot.me/2021/12/22/private-employees-pension-_draft_-proclamation/">Private Employees Pension Proclamation</a>. This will repeal the decade-old <a href="https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex4.detail?p_lang=en&amp;p_isn=89585&amp;p_country=ETH&amp;p_count=141">Private Employees Proclamation No. 715/2011</a> as amended by Proclamation<a href="https://chilot.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/proclamation-no-908-2015-private-organization-employees-pension-amendment.pdf"> No. 908/2015.</a> Adopting the new proclamation is required to strengthen and improve private organization employees' pension schemes and funds to ensure sustainability and reliability, benefit citizens better, and finally expand and consolidate to contribute to social justice, industrial peace, poverty reduction and development.&nbsp;As we understood from the final draft of the new proclamation, it has made some changes associated with the compliance requirements of employers and employees, manner of payment of retirement pension and gratuity. Now the new private employees pension proclamation is adopted, it will come into full effect once published in the Federal Negarit Gazette. We will be providing a detailed analysis of the changes introduced in the future.<hr>UGANDAUganda Declines to Renew Membership with the International Coffee Organization&nbsp;Uganda recently announced a two-year suspension of its membership from the International Coffee Organization (ICO), noting that the country needed to put pressure on the organization to address unreasonable terms in the International Coffee Agreement drawn up for member states, such as the unfair tariffs and restrictions imposed on imports of value-added coffee. According to an article in the East African, Uganda’s other concerns are the coffee price volatility, which it says is threatening the incomes of local farmers and sustainability of the coffee sector, unfair membership votes and contributions, and the increasing role of the private sector in the decision making of ICO, among other issues.The International Coffee Organization is the principal body in charge of fostering cooperation between international coffee exporters and importers. The surprising decision Uganda made to suspend its membership with the international body has left coffee farmers disgruntled especially considering Uganda is currently the second largest exporter of coffee in Africa with coffee comprising 22% of the country’s total exports and has a goal to be the world’s third-largest exporter of coffee by 2025 behind Brazil and Vietnam. The Uganda Coffee Development Authority has maintained that Uganda’s withdrawal from the International Coffee Agreement will not hamper coffee trade and export. Uganda can continue to export, but there are concerns that the withdrawal might limit market opportunities.&nbsp;<hr>RWANDAEALA Receives Key Bills Paving Way for Regional Monetary Union&nbsp;The completion of the discussion of three pertinent laws by the legislative arm of the East African Community (EAC) finally came to an end on March 1, 2022 with a plenary session to discuss the inception of the long awaited East African Monetary Institute (EAMI). The EAMI is charged with establishing the East African Monetary Union (EAMU) to create regional economic integration among the six member states of the EAC (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda). According to a Rwanda Times article, the bills under discussion are:&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">The EAC Standardization, Accreditation and Conformity Assessment Bill, which will provide for standardization, accreditation and conformity assessment of products traded in the EAC to facilitate industrialization development and trade to make provision for ensuring protection of health and safety of society and environment in the community;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The EAC Financial Services Commission Bill, which will promote integration of financial systems in the EAC and harmonize regulation and supervisory practices in the non-banking financial sector; and</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The EAC Surveillance Compliance and Enforcement Bill, which will have the function of assessing the attainment of macroeconomic convergence by EAC partner states and to regularly monitor and enforce adherence to the macroeconomic convergence criteria by the participating partner states.</li></ul>These bills are critical to finally establishing the EAMI. The EAMI aims to pick up from where the East African Central Bank left off by issuing a single currency by 2024 as a means of achieving the ultimate goal of regional economic integration. These efforts were stifled last month when members of the Council of Ministers failed to attend or send representatives to the sitting, consequently leading to the postponement of the discussion on major business. The delay in decision making has been a recurrent obstacle in finally realizing all the EAC pillars of regional integration.&nbsp;Photo by Imran Mazar

Our take on the legal developments related to the investment landscape in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda

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RENEW’s Legal Corner: March 2022

<h1 style="text-align:center;">RENEW’s Legal Corner: February 2022</h1>RENEW’s Legal Corner is designed to keep you updated with the regulatory progress and changes&nbsp;happening throughout the different jurisdictions in which RENEW operates. This month has seen several regulatory changes in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda. Below are the highlights:<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/097_A9519_bd9d899233.jpg"></figure><hr>ETHIOPIA<h3>The Regulation that Defines the Activities and Structure of the Ethiopian Holding Company Comes into Effect</h3>The Ethiopian Holding Company (EIH) was formed as a sovereign wealth fund by Proclamation No. 1263/2021. On January 31, 2022, the regulation that defines its activities and structure was issued in the Federal Negarit Gazette, which in effect brings the EIH to life. The regulation is cited as “The Definition of Objectives and Function of the Ethiopian Investment Holding Council of Ministers Regulation No. 487/2022.” Below are a few things we learned about the EIH:<ul><li>What is EIH? - EIH is a sovereign wealth fund that holds state-owned enterprises under an umbrella. It is structured as a holding company that holds shares, debentures, bonds and securities in enterprises that are in its ownership. In addition to structuring currently existing state-owned enterprises, EIH will also invest in businesses and investment opportunities as it sees profitable.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Accountability - The EIH will be accountable to the Prime Minister of the country.</li><li>Legal Status - EIH and its subsidiaries will be considered as private business organizations disregarding the shareholding percentage of the government.</li><li>Objectives - EIH is mainly established for the following reasons:<ul><li>To serve as a strategic investment arm of the government;</li><li>To introduce professional management and best corporate governance practices to maximize the value of government assets; and</li><li>Provide a strategic vehicle to attract foreign investment.</li></ul></li><li>Capital - EIH is established with an authorized capital of 100B ETB (approximately $2B USD).</li><li>Source of Funds - EIH sources its funds from:<ul><li>A pool of state-owned assets administered by EIH;</li><li>Returns and revenues of the investment of its assets;</li><li>Proceeds from the sale of its assets;</li><li>Loans and issuance of transferable securities; and</li><li>Other resources allocated to it and approved by the Board.</li></ul></li><li>Governance - EIH will be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of six members appointed by the Prime Minister of the country. The Prime Minister will chair the Board. Each board member will be appointed for a term of three years, which could be renewed. The Board will have a regular meeting every month.&nbsp; Decisions of the board will be made with a simple majority vote, however, in case of a tie, the chairperson shall have a casting vote. EIH will have a CEO reporting to the Board of Directors, who will have an ex-officio non-voting seat on the Board.&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>AfCFTA Hit an Important Milestone to Enhance Intra-African Free Trade</h3>African intra-regional trade accounted for just 17% of Africa’s exports in 2017 (1). This compares with 59% in Asia and 69% in Europe. However, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which Ethiopia signed along with 53 other African members and subsequently ratified in April 2019, is projected to increase this figure with a potential to lift 30M people out of extreme poverty (2).&nbsp;The agreement’s purpose is to boost trade, economic growth and integration among African countries. It establishes a free trade area that provides member countries with free access to the markets of other members. For that effect, member states are obliged to progressively eliminate tariffs and similar charges on goods and services originating from member states. This month has seen the member states concluding their negotiation on the ‘rules of origin’. The adopted rules could cover 87.7% of goods on the tariff lines of the AU member states.&nbsp;Although trading under the AfCFTA had started officially on January 1, 2021, the problems regarding rules of origin remained unresolved, making it difficult to identify products that could enjoy the preferential tariff regime under the agreement (3). Now the member states have agreed on 87.7% of rules of origin and once member states publicize these rules at the national level, the free trade area is expected to be active.Once fully implemented, AfCFTA will create the largest free trade area in the world measured by the number of countries participating. The agreement connects 1.3B people across 55 countries with a combined GDP valued at $3.4T (4).&nbsp;<hr>UGANDA<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Uganda and Tanzania Ink Final Oil Drilling and Pipeline Deal</h3>Uganda and Tanzania have agreed on the “final investment decision” in a landmark $10B deal for crude oil production in East Africa. TotalEnergies EP Uganda, CNOOC Uganda Limited, the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) will all be working together to develop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) that will cross the ten districts in Uganda. The major oil project that is on Lake Albert is expected to yield significant results that boost the energy and mineral development sector. It will mainly involve setting up oil fields, developing the pipeline network in Uganda and exporting the rest of the oil through Tanzania to the coastal ports. The government has also made several infrastructural improvements to the Albertine region where the oil project is based by constructing an airport in Hoima district and completing more than 700km of the road network. According to an article in FurtherAfrica, government geologists estimate Uganda’s gross reserves at 6B barrels, while recoverable oil is seen at 1.4B barrels (5).<hr>RWANDAIMF says Rwanda’s Economic Outlook is Positive in a January 2022 ReportRwanda entered into a three-year Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in June 2019. The PCI is a non-financial instrument that any member of the IMF can utilize. It’s designed to help support member countries implement macroeconomic policies and receive IMF advice and guidance, in an effort to facilitate policy reforms and catalyze financing from other, non-IMF sources. As part of the PCI, the IMF visits Rwanda on an annual basis, holds discussions, collects data and prepares a report on the outlook for Rwanda and progress under the PCI.The IMF released its most recent report in January 2022 following its fifth review of the PCI (6). In the report, the IMF states that Rwanda’s medium-term outlook is positive with GDP growth projected at 10.2% for 2021. The economy had strong improvements in 2021 coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic due in large part to the country’s vaccination efforts, continued government support programs and reopening of economic activities. In the medium term, GDP growth is predicted to gradually slow back to 7.5% (similar to pre-COVID levels). That said, the IMF cautioned that Rwanda must still address several issues stemming from the pandemic - namely protracted unemployment and rising poverty, particularly for women - to ensure the country’s economic recovery continues and that the social and economic progress Rwanda has made over the past twenty years is not lost.&nbsp;Under the PCI, policy recommendations from the IMF included a continued focus on fiscal spending to support social policies and recovery from the pandemic, balanced with advancing growth-friendly policies and safeguarding financial stability. In addition, the IMF noted that continued focus on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly by supporting human capital and climate change-readiness and adaptation, will be key to enabling a sustainable and inclusive recovery from COVID.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3 style="text-align:justify;"> Rwanda’s National Budget Increased by 16%</h3>The Government of Rwanda has proposed a 16% increase to the national budget in a revised proposal presented to parliament last week. The approximate $610M increase will be geared towards offering support to public institutions and helping them successfully execute their projects in key sectors such as agriculture, health and education. The government’s expenditure policies in fiscal year 2021/22 are guided by the National Strategy for Transformation priorities and objectives (7) with 58.7% of the resources allocated to economic transformation which includes most of the priority private sector areas such as agriculture, energy, hospitality and financial services.&nbsp; Social transformation takes up 27.2%, catering for access to electricity and clean water. The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning mentioned that he is very confident the increase in national spending from the original $366M to $428M will be beneficial to the economy after carrying out numerous surveys on how Rwanda can mitigate the financial loss suffered during the COVID pandemic. The recovery of the different economic activities across the country will ensure a steady and gradual rise to the country’s domestic revenues.<hr>Footnotes:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2019/02/22/figures-of-the-week-increasing-intra-regional-trade-in-africa/">https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2019/02/22/figures-of-the-week-increasing-intra-regional-trade-in-africa/</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;">&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/trade/publication/the-african-continental-free-trade-area">https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/trade/publication/the-african-continental-free-trade-area</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/africa/20220130/fc286d5fb2dd405980a48f06ca489019/c.html">http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/africa/20220130/fc286d5fb2dd405980a48f06ca489019/c.html</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;">&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/trade/publication/the-african-continental-free-trade-area">https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/trade/publication/the-african-continental-free-trade-area</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://furtherafrica.com/2022/02/02/totalenergies-cnooc-make-final-decision-on-10-bln-uganda-tanzania-oil-project/">https://furtherafrica.com/2022/02/02/totalenergies-cnooc-make-final-decision-on-10-bln-uganda-tanzania-oil-project/</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2022/01/13/Rwanda-2021-Article-IV-Consultation-and-Fifth-Review-Under-the-Policy-Coordination-511923">https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2022/01/13/Rwanda-2021-Article-IV-Consultation-and-Fifth-Review-Under-the-Policy-Coordination-511923</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;">&nbsp;https://www.minecofin.gov.rw/news-detail/government-to-spend-frw-38-trillion-in-2021-22-fiscal-year</li></ol>Photo by Imran Mazar

Updates to regulatory changes in Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda: February

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RENEW’s Legal Corner: February 2022

<h1 style="text-align:center;">CBDC: the Next Big Disruption&nbsp;</h1>&nbsp;Digital currencies generally refer to acceptable means of payment completed through electronic forms. The last couple of years have seen a record number of entrants into the digital currency space, which has largely been dominated by cryptocurrencies, whose value seems to keep rising with every bout of human acceptance. In Africa, monthly <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cryptocurrency.asp">cryptocurrency</a> transfers to and from Africa under $10,000 increased 55% over the past year, reaching a peak of $316M in June (1). Also, according to the 2020 Global Crypto Adoption Index from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria are among the world leaders in peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading (2). Accordingly, Nigeria recorded weekly peer-to-peer volumes between $5M and $10M. Kenya and South Africa followed with an average of between $1M and $2M per week (3).<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:100%;"><img src="/uploads/CBDC_de233e6c9b.jpg"></figure>The statistics above solidifies one thing – <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blockchain.asp">blockchain</a> technology is here to stay! And the reality of this statement begs the question of how we can fully maximize the benefits that blockchain technology brings. Over the last couple of years, the biggest issues on acceptance have centered on two main factors. Firstly, the erratic nature of these cryptocurrencies being mined, and secondly, the unregulated nature of these cryptocurrencies, which is where the Central Bank Digital Currency comes in.The Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is a form of blockchain technology that assumes the benefits of having a digital payment system but is particularly used as a virtual form of a country’s fiat currency. Simply put, it is an electronic record or digital token of a country's official currency. The major difference between this and the regular cryptocurrency is that the CBDC is typically heavily regulated by an individual country’s central bank, given it closely represents the country’s fiat currency. The reality is, central banks across the world now face stiff competition with their country’s currency due to the increasingly rapid nature of acceptance of cryptocurrencies. Currently, there are more than 87 countries exploring the possibilities of having their own CBDC (4).&nbsp;African countries are currently closely monitoring the global trends, with Nigeria now leading the pack to become the first African country to create its own CBDC, effectively becoming only the 7th country in the world to develop its own crypto asset, with the U.S. still in the research stage and China currently in its pilot phase.The importance of these digital currencies in Africa cannot be over emphasized, largely due to some of its benefits, the first of which is its ability to facilitate financial inclusion. For example, according to a report by Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), only 64% of Nigerian adults were financially included, while 36% of Nigerian adults (which translates to 38 million) were completely financially excluded as of 2020 (5). An individual country’s digital currency would typically allow rolling out of the USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) version of the e-currency as an alternative to downloading the digital wallet for people who do not have access to the internet. This would allow for people without any level of sophistication whatsoever to still be able to use the e-payment system.Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, the CBDC helps to create a relatively easier system of payment. In essence, the CBDC is expected to create a more secure, faster and cheaper means of carrying out financial transactions and currency exchange. This could be a major game changer for cross border trade as it could drastically reduce the cost of doing business with other countries as there are typically no middlemen with blockchain technology. An exciting possibility is the creation of one unique digital currency which can be used for cross-border trade in Africa, with acceptance by other African countries. For years the dream has remained elusive for East and West African regional blocs to create common currencies that will improve trade among member states. This could finally start looking like a not too far reality for the region as a lot of African countries have started showing some genuine interest in blockchain technology, and a willingness to explore its potential benefits. For example, in April, the Ethiopian government confirmed that it had signed a deal to create a national database of student and teacher IDs using a decentralized digital identity solution (6). The deal involves providing IDs for 5M students across 3,500 schools which will be used to store educational records. This deal is perhaps the largest deal to be signed by a government and has been making waves in the crypto-asset industry. Akin to this, Ethiopia has also adopted a Digital Transformation Strategy, where the government explicitly underscored the willingness to adopt a decentralized ledger technology that underpins cryptocurrencies. This is specific to the agricultural sector with the aim of benefiting farmers who are currently getting minimal amounts for the hardest work they put in the value chain. The adoption of the technology will allow traceability of transactions and is expected to force companies to ensure that their farmers adhere to Fairtrade Standards. In addition to the agricultural sector, the country’s Digital Transformation Strategy also incorporates the use of this technology in the tourism sector.In conclusion, Africa may become the next big digital currency market – leapfrogging the migration from cash to credit cards, and moving directly into digital currencies. While the emergence of digital currencies presents several challenges in regards to global adoption, due to its privacy and security concerns, it clearly has benefits that cannot be completely overlooked, especially for Africa. We at RENEW are closely monitoring developments, to ensure we can take advantage of opportunities that these developments may create for the IAN in the not-too-distant future. &nbsp;Reference;<ol><li><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/africas-quiet-cryptocurrency-revolution/a-55199637">https://www.dw.com/en/africas-quiet-cryptocurrency-revolution/a-55199637</a></li><li><a href="https://news.bitcoin.com/ukraine-russia-south-africa-nigeria-cryptocurrency-adoption/">https://news.bitcoin.com/ukraine-russia-south-africa-nigeria-cryptocurrency-adoption/</a></li><li><a href="https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/2020-global-cryptocurrency-adoption-index-2020">https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/2020-global-cryptocurrency-adoption-index-2020</a></li><li><a href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/cbdctracker/">https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/cbdctracker/</a></li><li><a href="https://efina.org.ng/our-work/research/access/">https://efina.org.ng/our-work/research/access/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.appsafrica.com/cardano-launches-blockchain-deployment-in-ethiopia-with-5m-students/">https://www.appsafrica.com/cardano-launches-blockchain-deployment-in-ethiopia-with-5m-students/</a></li></ol>

The Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in Africa and why we are watching closely 

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CBDC: the Next Big Disruption 

<h1 style="text-align:center;">RENEW’s Legal Corner: January 2022</h1>RENEW’s Legal Corner is designed to keep you updated with the regulatory progress and changes&nbsp;happening throughout the different jurisdictions in which RENEW operates. This month has seen several regulatory changes in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda. Below are the highlights:<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/097_A9432_c96da6175e.jpg"></figure><hr>ETHIOPIA<h3>The U.S. Removed Ethiopia from AGOA Effective January 1&nbsp;</h3>The U.S. removed Ethiopia from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for acting against the AGOA statute with the alleged violation of human rights in relation to the war in the northern part of the country (<a href="https://agoa.info/news/article/15941-us-president-terminates-agoa-preferences-for-ethiopia-mali-and-guinea.html">Link</a>). This is following the impending decision passed by the U.S government in November 2021. However, the act has received a lot of criticism from governmental and non-governmental actors. Critics pointed to the adverse effect of the removal including the thousands of jobs created for female workers throughout the country, especially in the garment industry.Following the removal, the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration is actively working to find alternative markets for Ethiopian products. During the review of the Ministry’s 100 days performance with the Ethiopian Plan Commission, the need to strengthen bilateral and multilateral integrations has been emphasized.<h3>NBE Amends the Forex Retention Directive and Exporters are Not Going to Like it</h3>The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) issued a new directive on the retention and utilization of export earnings and inward remittances. The new directive No. FXD/79/2022 has repealed Directive No.FXD/73/2021, which was issued less than five months ago. This is the third amendment to the directive since March 2021. The new directive has made significant changes, which might not be ideal for the retention of account holders in general and exporters in particular. Below are the major changes introduced:<ul><li>Under the new directive, banks are now required to surrender 70% of the foreign currency earnings to the NBE, either from export or remittance. Under the repealed directive, this requirement used to be 50%.</li><li>Similarly, the exporters or the remittance recipients' right of forex retention declined to 20% of the total export earning or remittance. This used to be 40% under the repealed directive.</li><li>The private banks' share of the earnings stood at 10%, which is similar to the repealed directive.</li></ul>This is expected to significantly slow down exports as most exporters are in the export business to generate forex - a scarce resource in the country. It is widely known that most exporters are originally importers who joined the export business to support their import business by using their forex retention rights.<h3>The Government to Approve a Supplementary Budget of 122B ETB due to the War</h3>The Ethiopian Council of Ministers passed a resolution during its regular session held on December 28, 2021. One of the major agenda items at the Council was approving a supplementary budget proposal submitted by the Ministry of Finance for the 2021/2022 fiscal year (running from July 7, 2021, to July 8, 2022). At the beginning of the fiscal year (July 2021), the government approved a 561.7B birr (approximately $12.9B USD) budget. However, as reported by the Ministry of Finance, the war in the northern part of the country demanded additional expenses, which the government couldn’t cover by shifting the budget.&nbsp;As a result, the Ministry of Finance reported that it has readied 122B birr (approximately 2.5B USD at the current exchange rate) as a supplementary budget for the current fiscal year. The budget will be used to rehabilitate conflict-affected communities and finance necessary government functions. This proposal has been presented to the Council of Ministers and received approval, and will now go to the parliament for final ratification.<h3>The Council of Ministers Approved the Formation of Ethiopian Investment Holdings as a Sovereign Wealth Fund</h3>The Council of Ministers approved the formation of Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) as a sovereign wealth fund that holds state-owned enterprises (SOEs) under an umbrella. Part of the government's economic reform program is to increase public sector finance through enhancing the efficiency, transparency and governance of SOEs.&nbsp;&nbsp;EIH, which is currently under formation, will pool the different government resources to one center and will introduce an efficient corporate governance scheme. This, in return, is expected to increase the government’s revenue and serve as a tool which will contribute to the country’s economic growth and enhance the competitiveness of the economy.&nbsp;The Council of Ministers has reviewed the draft regulation, establishing the EIH, and approved its establishment. Consequently, steps are being taken to operationalize EIH but it will not come into existence until the establishment regulation is published in the Federal Negarit Gazette.<hr>RWANDA<h3>AfCFTA; Rwanda’s Performance A Year Later</h3>Trading commenced throughout the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January 2021. Member states party to the trade agreement have mandatory duties to adhere to the specific responsibilities under the agreement, such as to progressively eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods, progressively liberalize trade in services, cooperate on investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy, settle all disputes concerning their rights and obligations, establish an institutional framework for the implementation of AfCFTA and others. Rwanda has made significant strides in implementing AfCFTA thus far, for instance, setting up a dispute settlement body, among others. Rwanda has also set its eyes on diversification by penetrating other African markets. This will be a huge opportunity for the country after registering a whopping $830M of&nbsp; exports within Africa for the greater part of 2021, representing 56% of total exports.&nbsp;Photo by Imran Mazar

Updates to regulatory changes in Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda: January 

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RENEW’s Legal Corner: January 2022

<h1 style="text-align:justify;">Ethiopia: IFRS Status and Tips for Businesses</h1>As Ethiopia continues to integrate with global markets, financial standards become more significant. One accounting standard that is often recognized as the global gold standard is the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). IFRS refers to a single set of globally recognized standards and interpretations applicable to general purpose financial statements and other financial reporting of all profit oriented entities.IFRS standards prescribe:<ul><li>The items that should be recognized as assets, liabilities, income and expenses;</li><li>How to measure those items;</li><li>How to present them in a set of financial statements and the related disclosures about those items.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/097_A2818_bb9f03054e.jpg" alt="A team of professionals in an office, engaged in discussions about IFRS implementation and financial reporting standards."></figure>The adoption of IFRS will result in financial reports for stakeholders that are understandable, reliable and relevant to users and transparent and comparable to other companies. IFRS will also increase the efficiency of contracting with other firms and lenders, and in the long term, such standards make for a more efficient capital market.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Around the globe, 120 nations permit or require IFRS for domestic listed companies, while close to 90 countries have fully conformed with IFRS as proclaimed by the IASB (International Accounting Standard Board). The main objective of IFRS is to make the diverse business language used around the world consistent. However, its adoption and implementation bring opportunities and challenges to both businesses and governments.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">IFRS Status in Ethiopia</h2>Previously in Ethiopia, there was not a single accounting standard in use. Businesses had to rely on different regulations and their own internal accounting policies for the preparation of financial reporting. This impacted comparability and reliability of the reporting used by various stakeholders. The government of Ethiopia issued a proclamation called “Financial Report Proclamation of Ethiopia: 847/2014” and Council of Ministers Regulation 332/2014 instructing adoption of IFRS and establishing AABE (Accounting and Audit Board of Ethiopia).&nbsp;AABE is responsible for guiding and dictating the implementation of IFRS as of December 2014.The IFRS implementation roadmap has three phases which started in 2018. Since then, a number of large companies have adopted IFRS in their reporting process while the majority of SMEs and some public interest entities have not been able to adopt the standard. As a result, the government has delayed the implementation enforceability schedule and recently announced a new threshold for the adoption of the full IFRS (listing all applicable rulings or codification to be strictly followed by adopters) and also sectioning out IFRS rules for SMEs, which meet the definition below:Threshold 1: Minimum criteria to adopt Full IFRS: Entities that meet two of the below four criteria should start adopting the standard by 2023:<ul><li>Annual turnover exceeding 300M ETB</li><li>&nbsp;Total employees exceeding 200</li><li>Total asset exceeding 200M ETB</li><li>Total liability exceeding 200M ETB</li></ul>Threshold 2: Minimum criteria to adopt IFRS for SMEs: Entities that meet two of the below four criteria should start adopting the standards by 2024:<ul><li>Annual turnover exceeding 20M ETB</li><li>Total employees exceeding 20</li><li>Total asset exceeding 20M ETB</li><li>Total liability exceeding 20M ETB</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Tips for IFRS Implementation</h2>Here are a few tips to get started and advance IFRS implementation in your company:<ul><li>Dedicate an expert or team who will be leading IFRS research or engagement.</li><li>Determine if your country’s IFRS rulings apply to your company or not.</li><li>If it applies, come up with an IFRS implementation plan, including making a decision on in house adoption or seeking assistance from an external party or consultant.</li><li>Identify the list of all relevant IFRS and IAS standards for effective transition to IFRS.</li><li>Develop the relevant accounting policy for your company.&nbsp;</li><li>Choose an appropriate costing model: Costing model or revaluation model.</li><li>Analyze your existing accounting process and identify deviations with IFRS rulings.</li></ul>Conversely, in Uganda and Rwanda, IFRS is much more widely adopted. Below is the IFRS status of both countries.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Some Regional Comparisons</h2>Uganda has been using IFRS for more than 20 years. In 1998, the Council of the ICPAU (Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda) adopted IFRS (then known as International Accounting&nbsp; Standards (IAS)). The ICPAU is mandated by the Accountants Act, 2013, to regulate and maintain the standards of accountancy in Uganda.&nbsp; In Uganda:<ul><li>IFRS standards are required for listed companies, financial institutions and government-invested companies.</li><li>IFRS standards are required for listings by foreign companies.</li><li>Uganda has adopted the IFRS for SMEs standard without any modifications.</li><li>IFRS for SMEs standards are permitted, although some private companies with state investments are required to use full IFRS standards.</li><li>The IFRS for SMEs was implemented for financial statements covering periods beginning on or after January 1, 2010.&nbsp;</li></ul>For nearly 15 years, Rwanda has shown a public commitment to move towards a single set of high quality accounting standards by issuing a law requiring all companies to use International Accounting Standards (IAS). Law number 11/2008 of 06/05/2008 established the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Rwanda (the ICPAR Law) on August 1, 2008. To summarize:<ul><li>Rwanda has adopted both full IFRS and the IFRS for SMEs.&nbsp;</li><li>Domestic companies whose securities trade in a public market are required to use IFRS in their consolidated financial statements.</li><li>Foreign companies whose securities trade in a public market are required to use IFRS in their consolidated financial statements.</li><li>IFRS for SMEs is required for all SMEs.</li><li>IFRS for SMEs is permitted for SMEs that are not companies (such as proprietorships and partnerships).</li><li>There are no other local accounting standards.</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Questions to Help you Plan</h2>Below are some common questions others have faced when implementing IFRS. These have been shared by early adopters and are listed below. Be sure to review these challenges before you develop your IFRS transition plan:&nbsp;<ul><li>Should we make the transition to IFRS in house or or hire a professional? Who should I hire? Do the necessary research before deciding and take into account the cost, size, complexity, talent gap of the business.</li><li>Is the IFRS implementation a finance role only? Many believe so, but don’t undermine the significance of engineering, HR, legal, marketing, procurement and leadership on key deliverables like estimates, valuation, severance, legal claim, inventory impairment and others.</li><li>Do we keep all original receipts for purchase of assets? Yes. These are needed&nbsp; for valuation purposes.</li><li>Do we have all HR related documents like leave, severance properly accounted for, documented or updated in a timely manner?</li><li>Are your key finance team members well trained or informed in the IFRS rulings or modifications?</li><li>Do I need to re-evaluate all assets to be IFRS compliant? There is a tendency to have everything re-evaluated but you should consult an expert as this might not be the case depending on the circumstances of your business.</li><li>Beware of unrealistic valuation reports as many have reported that inaccurate valuation has led to reporting huge profit with its own tax implications.</li><li>Some IFRS standards are hard to implement in some contexts and a thorough review is needed. For instance, IFRS 9 – Financial Instrument. Hence take time to understand details as relates to your business.</li></ul>Sources:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">AABE - Accounting and Audit Board of Ethiopia (<a href="http://www.aabe.gov.et/">http://www.aabe.gov.et/</a>) - The information about IFRS standards in Ethiopia was derived from interviews with AABE staff members.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://cdn.ifrs.org/content/dam/ifrs/around-the-world/jurisdiction-profiles/uganda-ifrs-profile.pdf">https://cdn.ifrs.org/content/dam/ifrs/around-the-world/jurisdiction-profiles/uganda-ifrs-profile.pdf</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://cdn.ifrs.org/content/dam/ifrs/around-the-world/jurisdiction-profiles/rwanda-ifrs-profile.pdf">https://cdn.ifrs.org/content/dam/ifrs/around-the-world/jurisdiction-profiles/rwanda-ifrs-profile.pdf</a></li></ul>Disclaimer:&nbsp; This blog article is strictly for informational purposes only and does not constitute accounting, tax or legal advice. Readers of this blog should consult their professional advisors to obtain advice with respect to IFRS implementation and any particular accounting or tax matter discussed herein. The information in this blog is provided “as-is” and no representation is made that the information is accurate or complete, nor should it be relied upon as such. Information in this blog may not constitute the most up-to-date accounting or other information. All liability with respect to actions taken or not taken based on the contents of this blog are hereby expressly disclaimed.

Here’s what you need to know if you are a business in Ethiopia and implementing IFRS. Explore the significance of IFRS adoption in Ethiopia for transparent financial reporting. 


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Ethiopia: IFRS Status and Tips for Businesses

<h1 style="text-align:center;">RENEW’s Legal Corner: December 2021</h1>RENEW’s Legal Corner is designed to keep you updated with the regulatory progress and changes&nbsp;happening throughout the different jurisdictions in which RENEW operates. This month has seen several regulatory changes in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda. Below are the highlights:<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/097_A9519_bd9d899233.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;<hr>ETHIOPIAThe National Bank of Ethiopia Revised the Directive on the Allocation of Forex&nbsp;The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), which is the central bank of the country, issued a new directive on the allocation of foreign exchange. The new directive numbered FXD/77/2021 repealed Directive No. FXD/67/2020, which was issued a year ago. The new directive, similar to its predecessor, has four categories of allocation i.e. ‘1st priority', ‘2nd priority', ‘3rd priority’ and ‘no priority’. Within that framework it has introduced a few major changes:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">Removed “input for manufacturing of pharmaceuticals” from the 1st priority category and kept medicine and laboratory agent importing intact. In addition, it introduced in the 1st priority category (1) input for manufacturing edible oil; and (2) liquified petroleum gas (LPG), which was in the 3rd category in the repealed directive.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Similar to the repealed directive, priority categories need to be allocated a minimum of 50% of the total forex allocation by any bank at any point in time. Categorically, this used to be 5% (for 1st priority), 22.5% (for 2nd priority), 22.5% (3rd priority), which now has changed to 7.5%, 22.5%, and 20%, respectively.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Non-priority sectors are now required to deposit 50% of the total proforma value in birr using the prevailing exchange rate at the date of registration. The bank in return is required to pay at least a saving interest rate for the amount in the blocked account, which as we stand is 7% per annum.&nbsp;</li></ol>Other than these and other minor changes, the new directive kept most of the provisions of the repealed directive. This included proceeds from the sale of shares, profit and dividend transfer, which remained in the 3rd priority category.The National Bank of Ethiopia Lifted the Restrictions on Loan ServicesThe NBE lifted the restrictions placed on all forms of private loans provided by commercial banks.&nbsp;Back in August 2021, the NBE took different policy measures to tackle the soaring inflation, which was mainly driven by the increased gap between the official and parallel forex exchange rates. This was reportedly a result of the illicit financial networks that are financing the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a rebel group currently fighting the government. To counter that activity, the NBE had taken different monetary policy measures, one of which was freezing all forms of private loans provided by commercial banks (read our blog on <a href="https://renewcapital.com/resources/blogs/What%E2%80%99s%20Behind%20the%20Soaring%20Inflation%20in%20Ethiopia%3F">“What’s Behind the Soaring Inflation in Ethiopia?”</a>).Since then, the NBE has issued consecutive circulars at different times revising the restrictions and providing exemptions for different loan categories and strategic sectors. Beneficiaries of this exemption include companies supplying petroleum products, inter-bank loan buyout transactions, sesame producers, importers and producers of edible oil and others. Now, the NBE has lifted all restrictions and allowed all commercial banks to provide loans to their clients without restrictions. The restriction had a significant impact on the economy in general and financial institutions in particular and the lifting of the restrictions is expected to help bring the economy back on track.&nbsp;Start-up Businesses Proclamation is on the Verge of Getting EnactedAs part of the reform program introduced in Ethiopia, the government has been working on building a vibrant start-up ecosystem. Part of this initiative was to draft and implement the Start-up Businesses proclamation (the “Start-up Proclamation”).&nbsp;Initially, this initiative was being led by the Federal Jobs Creation Commission, which later on shifted to the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MINT). Per a statement by MINT this month, the Start-up Proclamation is now&nbsp; near the finish line and is expected to be enacted within the next one hundred days. Once finalized, the law enactment process requires the draft to be presented to the Parliament through the Council of Ministers’, which will then get published in the official Federal Negarit Gazette.&nbsp;The Start-up Proclamation has a number of elements aimed at addressing the different issues that start-ups currently face in Ethiopia. These include the establishment of the National Start-up Business Council, with a number of mandates aimed at supporting the start-up ecosystem. In addition, it established an innovation fund organized for the purpose of financing start-ups and innovative businesses. At a macro level it aims to foster innovation and the economy at large and create knowledge-base wealth while at the same time fostering job creation. Specifically, it is expected to be foundational to the country’s potential for entrepreneurship and innovation, and provide tailor-made support for start-ups and innovative businesses.The Number of Sectors that Require Certificate of Competence for Business License Has Been Reduced to 10The Ministry of Trade and Regional Cooperation (MTRC) reduced the number of business areas that require competence certificates to 10 from 52. It is in a circular that was circulated to the different trade bureaus that the Ministry announced its decision.The MTRC is the central commercial registration and business licensing body of the country. However, the service provided by the Ministry used to be backward, time taking and with a number of regulatory checkpoints. This has been one of the reform areas outlined by the government in its recent economic reform program related to ease of starting a business (read our <a href="https://renewcapital.com/resources/blogs/The%20Ethiopian%20Business%20Environment%20in%20Light%20of%20the%20Homegrown%20Economic%20Reform%20Program">blog on the reform program</a>). This has seen the number of sectors that require a competence certificate from 1,300 to 52.&nbsp;Now this again got reduced to 10, which is a positive development in terms of limiting the competence certificate to areas that are necessary for the government to ensure the safety and public health of the general public.<hr>RWANDAResolution to Address Inequalities Between Men and Women in EAC Services.The women caucus in the East African Community (EAC) regional parliament recently tabled a&nbsp; resolution to check the glaring inequalities between men and women currently serving under the EAC. This came during the annual international campaign against gender-based violence. The resolution implores the EAC Council of Ministers, the central decision-making and governing organ of the EAC, to establish structures to promote gender mainstreaming in the appointment and recruitment for all organs and institutions.&nbsp;The six key recommendations include:<ul><li>Gender should be a primary factor to consider by direct partner states while appointing candidates for Secretary General, Deputy Secretaries General, judges and members of Boards.</li><li>A gender audit to be conducted to advance gender mainstreaming.</li><li>Implement regulation 20(12) of the EAC staff rules and regulations and prioritize gender during the recruitment process of professional staff.</li><li>Incorporate affirmative action for women during the recruitment process.</li><li>Emphasis on women applying for the job vacancies advertised.</li><li>Create a conducive environment for women working in the EAC, taking into account specific needs for women including breastfeeding facilities, adequate maternity leave, day care centres, affordable education for children, favorable spouse allowance and an environment free from sexual and gender-based violence.</li></ul>Senate Summons Prime Minister Over Issues in Agriculture ExportsThe Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda has been summoned to appear before the senate committee on economic development and finance. The main subject of scrutiny will be the state of the agricultural sector, the country’s biggest contributor to the national economy. Hon. Édouard Ngirente will explain the government’s detailed plan to leverage the recent strategic partnerships with the likes of China and UAE with close support from the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Export Development Board. Furthermore, there will be an in depth analysis of the recurrent challenges that the agricultural export market is currently facing in Rwanda like the lack of access to capital for farmers to cover the day to day activities and logistical issues among others.<hr>UGANDAThe National Social Security Fund (“NSSF”) is the monopoly in the pension sector in Uganda, with mandatory contributions for employees (if employers employ more than five staff).&nbsp;The Parliament of Uganda has passed the National Social Security Fund Amendment Bill 2021, that allows for 20% mid term access for workers who have saved for over 10 years and have reached the age of 45, with persons with disabilities who have saved for more than five years having access to up to 50% of their savings. Furthermore, the bill provides for mandatory registration and contribution to a licensed retirement benefits scheme such as NSSF, for both employers and employees in the formal sector. The Bill also provides for voluntary contributions for employers and employees within the informal sector.NSSF is a lead investor in the only locally domiciled and registered private equity firm in Uganda. With an increase in contributions from employers and employees in Uganda, there is an opportunity for private equity funds to raise capital from the NSSF.&nbsp;Photo by Imran Mazar

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