Competitiveness of, and Challenges for, ACP Countries in the Current International Trading Environment
Quotations on bottlenecks to international business development in selected ACP countries
| A high concentration of businesses in large urban centers |
| A strong inclination to import rather than export. |
| Absence of harbor (land-locked country). |
| Agro-based economy. |
| Attitude of authorities concerned. |
| Bad and, in some cases, lack of roads linking the south to the provinces where tradable goods exist. |
| Border disputes |
| Bulk of raw materials are imported and freight costs significantly increase production costs. |
| Bureaucracy - high level of internal corruption throughout the system leading to lack of correct information. |
| Bureaucracy and lack of co-operation by public servants, which encourages corruption. |
| Bureaucracy: The proposed key UN document on imports and exports in not yet available. |
| Businessmen lack experience in the international arena |
| Communication and transport infrastructure in Tanzania. |
| Communication facilities are unreliable. |
| Competition from imports in quality and price |
| Corruption among administrators directly involved with imports and exports. |
| Cumbersome Government procedures, paperwork, licenses and heavy multi tax on businesses. |
| Disguised protectionism. |
| Distance from source of raw materials. |
| Djibouti is a transit port for Ethiopia & Somalia and has high port charges and high cost of living compared with neighbours. |
| Embargo. |
| Excess import duties and uneven duty charges for different importers. |
| Exchange rates. |
| Export enterprises have difficulty obtaining financing |
| Export financing, market research and information facilities are poor. |
| Exports: A country is forced to adopt protectionist policies when neighbouring countries do not have liberal trade policies. |
| Exports: Tick-borne diseases affect livestock. |
| Foreign currency is controlled by the national bank of Ethiopia which maintains complex procedures (for exports). |
| Foreign exchange shortages. |
| Fraud. |
| Free trade and business development to be encouraged for Mozambican native handicrafts. |
| Freighting - presently we have no company here that can handle jewellery or polished gemstones/high grade rough gem stones with secure handling. |
| Getting accepted as a credible provider of services. |
| Government policies such as restrictions on hard currency. |
| High cost and insufficient telecommunications. |
| High cost of banking. |
| High cost of doing business in Uganda. |
| High cost of financing (around 7 % per month). |
| High customs duties on imported items and the time it takes to go through customs ( weeks for imports). |
| High import & export duties. |
| High inland freight cost. |
| High taxes on imports. |
| High transport costs (flight and seaway). |
| Importing consumer goods through legitimate channels almost impossible because of weakness (severe) in customs administration. |
| Imports: Customs red tape, incorrect classification of customs duties for raw materials, inspections. |
| Imports: insufficient purchasing power. |
| Imports: the pre-inspection of goods at origin and the bureaucratic procedures involved. |
| Imposing an extra 10% surcharge on goods inspected by inspection company. |
| Inappropriate and outdated technologies leading to low productivity and lack of competitiveness. |
| Institutions responsible for business and trade promotion are highly politicized and promote undeserving cases. |
| Insufficient quantity and quality of export items, difficulties in meeting the minimum order requirements of the exporters abroad because of the poor potential of our market. |
| Isolation of Samoa from major consumer markets. |
| Lack of a convertible currency for imports. |
| Lack of a middle- and long-term vision by politicians as well as businessmen. |
| Lack of an effective local market. |
| Lack of a true business community with professional associations that are well informed about the international business climate. |
| Lack of competitive instruments and local experts. |
| Lack of coordination and inconsistencies in Government tax policies. |
| Lack of foreign currency and export-oriented products. |
| Lack of foreign currency for importing inputs. |
| Lack of highly trained manpower in international marketing management. |
| Lack of highly-skilled workers. |
| Lack of information about neighbouring markets. |
| Lack of information and expertise relating to export markets. |
| Lack of information on market development and lack of financing for this activity. |
| Lack of market information - the majority of rural population have no access to market information. |
| Lack of modern machinery to produce quality goods, all our factories are too old & need rehabilitation. |
| Lack of pre-shipment financing. |
| Lack of quality -control programs, e.g. ISO 9000. |
| Lack of transparent policies. |
| Lack of will to invest locally and develop local industry. |
| Level of education. |
| Local administrative procedures. |
| Markets access is a key problem and has to be solved if long term growth is to be achieved. |
| Money restraint of FCFA in relation to other currencies. |
| Most companies are too poor to afford to advertise or participate in foreign country trade fairs etc. |
| Most organizations do not have enough experience exporting overseas. |
| Need for a railroad. |
| No competition among airlines. |
| No trade diversification, need for export credits. |
| Non-tariff barriers in foreign markets. |
| Non-traditional exports are not given a lot of support in terms of training and finance. |
| Opportunities/ability to participate in industrial establishments and meaningful marketing activities. |
| Political and economic instability. |
| Poor controls on dumping |
| Poor transport - poor electricity and energy. |
| Pre-shipment financing. |
| Production capacity. |
| Shortage of skilled labor/Government involvement in business. |
| Small size of domestic market |
| SME's do not have access to financing. |
| State monopoly on issuing certificates |
| System for reimbursing value added tax credits does not function properly. |
| Taxes are too high for businesses and consumers. |
| Taxes on imports. |
| The Chamber of Commerce is ineffective. |
| The development of the tourism industry will require increased imports in the future. |
| The export sector is the least favored sector. |
| The government is unable to provide adequate trade support services. |
| The high costs of transportation and other services. |
| The high transport costs, since Rwanda is a land-locked country. |
| The local citizens were doing well until the foreigners pushed in and made the ministers directors of their companies. |
| The state budget is essentially based on income from high duties. |
| The state does not assume its catalytic role in trade promotion. |
| There is no consultation between the Government and the private sector and therefore no collective responsibility. |
| Uncertainty about the possibility of obtaining work permits for expatriates. |
| Underestimating the importance of marketing for a successful business. |
| Unfair profit taxation. |
| Unreliable suppliers. |
| Very high cost of raw materials. |
| Weak education system at every level. |
| Weak Franc CFA to the dollar. |
| Weak technology: Products made in Burundi are not competitive on the international market. |
| Weakness in conserving and packing certain agricultural products. |