East African Community economies were resilient against the pandemic, with exports holding up well and the regional trade balance improving due to lower imports. However the pandemic has reversed some of the gains made in trade facilitation for example loss of income in boarder communities and reversal of women economic empowerment. The report provides recent evidence critical to supporting policy options, implementation, and direction on mitigating the adverse effects of the COVID-19 crisis in East Africa.

This report adopts two approaches to estimate the likely effects of AfCFTA on the East African Community (EAC) countries. The first approach is a trend analysis of the EAC exports and imports to and from the rest of Africa and the world at large using data from the Trade Map database. Second is the WITS-SMART analytical framework. The AfCFTA is based on the rationale that it will enhance the ability of EAC Partner States to negotiate and liberalise trade.

COVID-19 has created an extra ordinary experience for investors as it has pushed the economy into its deepest recession since World War III. People and businesses need to adopt to what may be a permanent change in the way we work, learn and live. The World Investment Report supports policy makers by monitoring global and regional investment trends and national and international policy developments. This year’s report reviews investment in policies on public health and economic recovery from the pandemic.

This study examines the effect of land tenure security and land fragmentation on crop choice and production intensity in Uganda. Transfer rights (both with and without approval) increase the likelihood of growing perennial commercial crops and the size of land allocated to these crops. The transfer rights weakly affect the production of annual crops and trees, as they have no effect on the land allocated to these crops. Commercial crops need significant investment compared to annual crops and trees.

This report themed; “Achieving Sustainable Development Goals and delivering Climate Action” showcases how 162 countries around the world use National Urban Policies (NUP) to enhance sustainable urban development, advance global agendas and address challenges magnified or revealed by the COVID-19 crisis. NUPs play a critical role in displaying a deliberate government-led process of coordinating and gathering various actors around a common vision and goal to promote inclusive and productive urban development.