Page 29 - LUA November December 2024 Issue for website

ECA's Gatete urges TUNL to boost e-com

African leaders to strengthen export from SA after

regional value chains securing new funding

n a funding round arranged by Utopia Capital
IManagement, the South African shipping
platform for e-commerce exporters has secured a
seed round led by E4E Africa, along with a group
of other investors, including Jonathan Smit (exited
Payfast), Jozi Angels, and an SPV.
With this funding, TUNL aims to better help
South Africa-based SMEs export their products to
anywhere in the world. With a mission to support
SMEs in exporting more by removing barriers to
international selling and shipping, TUNL now
supports over 1,400 merchants from South Africa.
In a recent LinkedIn post, the startups claimed that
brands like “Versus Socks, Freedom of Movement,
Ciovita, Bambalam, and Noodle and Bun have
frican leaders have been called to “This requires not only removing seen transformative results using TUNL to
Astrengthen regional value chains all the barriers to intra-African supercharge their international sales.”
as part of a concerted effort to drive trade but also creating incentives for
economic integration and reshape greater cross-border investment,”
the continent's economic prospects. he said. Gatete also took the
The call was made by Claver opportunity to commend COMESA
Gatete, Executive Secretary of the for the implementation of the
UN Economic Commission for Tripartite Free Trade Area, which
Africa during the recent COMESA became operational in July 2024.
summit held in Bujumbura, He highlighted the significance of
Burundi. Gatete emphasized the this agreement, which unites three
necessity for African nations to major regional blocs—COMESA,
broaden their regional value chains EAC, and SADC—that collectively
as a step towards forging a more account for over 60% of the
unified economy. continent's GDP.

DP World Dakar joins Portchain Connect network

ortchain announced and move count updates
PDP World Dakar will directly from carrier systems,
join the Portchain Connect and enables them to respond
network to increase the and counter propose quickly,
quality and speed of their to align the vessel schedule
berth alignment with with the terminal berth plan,”
customers through digital reads the release.
handshakes and secure "Our collaboration with
data sharing. Portchain is underpinned
“Portchain is excited to by a shared commitment
partner with DPW Dakar to to excellence, as we work
simplify their communication together to harness the power
channels and improve overall of data and collaboration to
berth alignment. Portchain optimize our entire logistics
Connect enables DPW Dakar process," DP World Dakar
to receive real-time schedule planning team.

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