The Government of Rwanda has developed the Trade Information Portal to fulfill Article 1 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, requiring Member States to publish their trade procedures online, displaying them step- by-step, with contact information on enquiry points, fees and access to forms. The development of the Trade Portal was made possible with support from TradeMark East Africa and technical assistance from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

This online platform launched in March 2018, is implemented by Rwanda Revenue Authority under the supervision of the National Trade Facilitation Committee. It provides comprehensive, single-point access to user-centric information needed to trade in and out of Rwanda: at its core, a database of procedures provides step-by-step guides to imports, exports and transit, including formalities such as licenses, permits and customs clearance. The Rwanda Trade information Portal is connected to the Global Trade Helpdesk, an ITC, UNCTAD and WTO initiative.

During February and March 2021, the European Union (EU) – East African Community (EAC) Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP) supported Rwanda Trade Portal to grow its visibility and reach an even wider audience.

MARKUP is a regional trade development initiative, which aims to address both the supply side and market access constraints of selected key export-oriented sectors. MARKUP is EU-funded and implemented by a series of partners, including ITC, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and other national partners. 

The ultimate goal of MARKUP is to contribute to the economic development of the EAC region by improving market access to the EU and the East African region itself. The aim is to position the EAC region on the global stage as a competitive, sustainable and dynamic export-led region and as a single source of exports of agribusiness and horticultural products.

One of the core objectives of MARKUP is to enhance and promote national and regional Trade Information Portals - in partnership with UNCTAD and TradeMark East Africa - to support EAC business and regional integration. 

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