> Mpho Tebele
Gaborone- After more than five years, the current contract for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Southern Africa Trade Hub is coming to a close, an official announced on Monday, March 7.
The USAID Southern Africa Trade Hub works to enhance economic growth and food security in the region through trade.
USAID regional trade adviser Paul Pleva said in a statement that “With deep gratitude, we say farewell to USAID’s Southern Africa Trade Hub. After more than five years, the current contract for the “Hub” is coming to a close.”
He said this is not really an end, but just a transition. “You will soon hear more about USAID’s Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub, a new project to continue the work of the current hub. This new project is still under procurement,” said Pleva.
The hub has reported increases in access to warehouse receipts and new deals for exporting garments.
“We’ve seen financing come together for greater agricultural production and the establishment of new labs for testing standards. We’ve read about new rules for promoting renewable energy and portals for keeping traders informed. Although we say good-bye to this Hub, the results will carry on,” he said.
Pleya said at the heart of the Hub was a dedication to results. “The Trade Hub has reported on increases in access to warehouse receipts and new deals for exporting garments.
“We’ve seen financing come together for greater agricultural production and the establishment of new labs for testing standards.
“We’ve read about new rules for promoting renewable energy and portals for keeping traders informed. Although we say good-bye to this Hub, the results will carry on,” said Pleya.
USAID’s Trade Hub was integral to implement President Barack Obama’s “Feed The Future” (FTF) initiative by enabling Southern African farmers to improve agricultural production and supply nutritious food in the region where some countries often face food deficits.  It was headquartered in Gaborone with a budget of more than $80 million over five years (from 2010 to 2016 March).
With offices in Gaborone, Botswana; Centurion (Pretoria), South Africa; and embedded advisors in offices in Malawi and Namibia, the Trade Hub worked primarily in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia.
The Trade Hub provided needs-driven assistance to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), governments, and private sector organizations in eight countries to advance regional trade within Southern Africa while incorporating gender integration, environment compliance, and strategic outreach in all activities.
As a regional program the Trade Hub’s objective was to reduce the time and cost of transporting goods across borders by deploying modern trade facilitation tools such as trade information portals and national single windows in selected countries.
It was also aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of the grain, soy and groundnut value chains by reducing post-harvest losses, introducing better seeds and technologies, strengthening regional agricultural institutions                  and supporting trade and investment links.
Its objective was to Increase capacity for regulating and enhancing the clean energy sector to increase investments.
It was also to improve the regional trade, investment and integration enabling environment through regulatory reform and the promotion of harmonized standards.