iBEAM Quarterly Report 3: FY2014, Q1

Technical Assistance under iBEAM is intended to increase awareness of trade in services as part of APBIT and develop ideas for USG support to the AUC and UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Implementation of this activity builds on BEAM progress and incorporates several key components, including a new scope for a Uganda/Education case study, oversight of several similar case studies funded by various donor organizations, production of a joint publication on AUC Services Trade, and participation in an upcoming AUC workshop in Addis Ababa. In November 2013, iBEAM contracted Dr. Sherry Stephenson and local expert George Walusimbi-Mpanga to carry out a field mission in Uganda, which was conducted successfully, including a week of meetings with local universities and other education sector stakeholders. In West Africa, iBEAM continues to provide operational assistance to the Borderless Alliance (BA), a business association formed in 2011 under USAID's West Africa Trade Hub (WATH) to identify and advocate for evidence-based transport and trade policy reforms across the region. iBEAM support has taken the form of fixed-price, deliverables-based subcontracts between Dexis and BA, covering activities such as preparation for the second Borderless Alliance Annual Conference, scheduled for February 26-28, 2014 in Lagos, Nigeria. Additionally, iBEAM began direct support for the Global Shea Alliance (GSA) in December 2013, with a focus on improving the Shea industry in West Africa and capturing value at the producer level. This activity is at the request of USAID/WA to cover the interim period in anticipation of the award of a follow-on project to WATH. In November and December 2013, iBEAM directly funded the travel of GSA representatives as part of preparations for its Annual Conference, scheduled for March 24-26, 2014 in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. In other activities, iBEAM was requested by USAID/E3 to put together a comprehensive publication that organizes information about the variety of resources available to enhance the capacity of countries to improve the development and implementation of standards and technical regulations in conformance with their international obligations under the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) agreement. CARANA Senior Associate Anne Szender was approved to take the lead on the activity, submitting an initial draft report in December 2013. Furthermore, iBEAM contracted Mr. Robert Holler to update the report written under BEAM entitled "Best Practices in Trade Facilitation: A Resource Guide," which outlined best practices in the sequencing and operationalization of a broad trade facilitation agenda by a "typical" developing country. The paper was submitted to USAID in December and is under USAID review, to be released next quarter. In upcoming activities, iBEAM will begin comprehensive operational assistance to GSA in January 2014, likely funding its operations through June 2014, including costs associated with its Annual Conference in March 2014. Additionally, iBEAM will cover travel and labor for an "Implementing Partner Associate Team Member" to support a post-project assessment of the Market Linkages Initiative (MLI) Project in East Africa.