Dubai Customs recently announced a temporary ban on exports and reexports of iron scrap and paper waste, KPMG said July 20. The ban takes effect Sept. 30.

Kenya recently approved a new finance act that placed or increased duties on a range of imports, including various electronics, cosmetics, jewelry and other luxury goods, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 19. The country imposed new 10% duties on mobile phones and a 40% tariff on electronic cigarettes and other “nicotine devices,” HKTDC said. Kenya increased import duties on various beauty products and jewelry from 10% to 15%, and raised rates for sugar, spirits, fruit and vegetable juices and others. It eliminated the 25% import duty on furniture.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo last week appointed new members to the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa, which looks to expand U.S. market access and commercial relationships in the continent. The council, which also will advise the U.S. on support for the African Continental Free Trade Area and potential bilateral trade agreements, has 24 members for the 2022-2024 term.

There is growing and “ample market opportunity” for certain U.S. agricultural exporters in Kenya, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 13 report, particularly for feed ingredients and processed products. USDA said Kenya is suffering from domestic supply issues due to high fertilizer prices, small rain-fed fields and low productivity, but its growing population and urbanization will lead to higher demand for imported goods.

Dubai recently opened the Middle East’s first smart free zone, the Yiwu Market, which is expected to increase trade between the United Arab Emirates and China, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 7. The zone -- located at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone and established by ports operator DP World and the China Commodity City Group -- includes 324 customs-bonded warehouses with loading docks and 1,600 showrooms, the report said. The zone is also close to the Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport, which will allow traders to “easily move goods for import and export by air to and from their warehouses at low logistical cost,” HKTDC said. The zone includes several incentives to attract traders, HKTDC said, including no management fees for the first 27 months.

Kenya recently issued more tariff exemptions for certain feed ingredient imports to address rising domestic costs of feed, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 1 report. The country will exempt “genetically engineered Bt. cottonseed cake, distillers’ dried grains with solubles, and rapeseed cake” from the import duties, the agency said. USDA said the moves aren't likely to reduce feed costs because Kenya restricts imports of “most” GE feed ingredients.

Morocco recently imposed import duties on all overseas online purchases, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 6. Previously, goods purchased online with a value less than $125 were exempt from import duties. HKTDC said “non-commercial shipments” valued at less than $125 will remain exempt.

Egypt has been able to secure a “stable” supply of wheat over the past three months despite the large-scale disruption to its wheat trade caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said in a June 22 report. Egypt had bought more than 80% of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine over the past five years​​ (see 2203290025), but USDA said the country has quickly pivoted to a “diverse” set of markets and has reported no wheat, flour or bread shortages. Its new sources include India, USDA said, which exported its first shipment of wheat to Egypt’s private sector earlier this month.

Israel recently removed tariffs on a range of imported industrial, food and consumer goods, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported June 9. The country removed the tariffs as part of a government-led import reform that began June 1, which also eliminated certain local compliance standards for the goods, HKTDC said. Israel also will eliminate inspections on the imported goods if the importer declares the products meet “international standards,” the report said. The reduced tariffs apply to oils, salts, nitrates, phosphates, medicines, minerals, paper products, rubber, plastics, paints, construction products, textiles, kitchenware and more.

KPMG recently published a report on updated trade and customs requirements in East Africa. The report covers some of the broader market access and reduced trade barriers available to Congo due to its accession to the East African Community; recent amendments to the EAC common external tariff; customs recordkeeping requirements; and customs post-clearance audits.