-
The Kitchen and the Table: Why Trade Policy Looks Good on Paper but Fails in Practice
By Elizabeth R.Auma K There are advantages to sitting in the kitchen. You know what went into the meal, what mishaps occurred along the way, and what made it beautiful in the end. There are also lessons to be learned from sitting at the table, where the meal is either enjoyed or quietly rejected with…
-
When Tariffs Die
By Elizabeth R. Auma K In some African cultures, there is a belief that when someone dies, they are reborn in another form. I have found this metaphor painfully true in the lanes of trade. Even science reflects this truth: matter occupies space, when one form is removed, another takes its place. In every sense,…
-
Cultivating Cultural Intelligence in Negotiation
By Elizabeth R. Auma K I have participated in several regional and global engagements, and one thing has always been clear: cultures differ. I believe it is within this diversity that the true beauty of negotiation is found. Engaging with someone whose culture is new to you stretches your awareness, patience, and sensitivity. The food…
-
Reciprocity: The trade negotiator’s game changer
Elizabeth R. Auma K Reciprocity The practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one country to another. Last week, we reflected on sovereignty: the right and responsibility of a nation to protect its interests, borders, and people. However, sovereignty, on its own, does not sustain relationships between nations. This…
-
The power of precedent
By Elizabeth R. Auma K “Chairperson, in 2015, we were in a similar situation and passed the decision to which I make reference. It is only necessary that we do the same.” Such a statement is common during Policy discussions among Countries. At the close of 2025, I participated in a regional meeting that placed…
-
Balancing Trade and Taxes: A Policy Dilemma
Elizabeth R.Auma. K Every time I find myself talking trade policy, instinctively I will always have a line like, ‘…..Government is committed to ensuring a conducive environment for trade’. This statement to the ears of the traders is exciting and reassuring. Yet the same government is committed to collecting taxes from the same traders. It…
-
Negotiating Fair Terms: Insights for Life and Career
By Elizabeth R. Auma K. I recently represented my country in a regional meeting of twenty-one member states, deliberating on trade matters and how best we could become a region of excellence. There is always something extraordinary about sitting across the table from seasoned experts and negotiators, men and women armed with history, expertise and…
-
Letter to a young trader
Dear young trader, I have been reading through several of your documents. I admire your determination to step into regional and global markets. I observed from your write up that you took time to study and appreciate the available open markets. Your zeal ignites a desire in me to keep learning. It drives me to…
-
The quiet power of trade policy
By Elizabeth R. Auma K; A Heartbeat in Every Policy As I walked through Kalerwe market recently, a young lad crossed my path carrying a burden too heavy for his age. He was hawking ‘nsenene’, Uganda’s beloved seasonal delicacy of grasshoppers. With the end-of-year rains, this God-sent treat appears almost mysteriously, and then it disappears…
-
Five common mistakes we make in Trade policy development
By Elizabeth R. Auma K, A Heartbeat in Every Policy My very first encounter with Trade Policy development was during the review of the Cooperative Society Act 1991. It was a deep analysis class. Subsequent encounters with policy development offered deep insight. These include Trade in Services, the Competition and Consumer Protection 2014, the National…
A heartbeat in every policy
Hearts & Trade 