Press Release Abuja, Nigeria (October 08, 2026) – TFO Canada is proud to announce the launch of Trade for Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth (TRISEG) in Nigeria, in partnership with Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). TRISEG is a five-year initiative (2025–2030) designed to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and contribute to sustainable economic growth in 16 developing and least developed countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, TRISEG will work with Trade Support Institutions (TSIs) and other stakeholders in participating countries to strengthen...
Press Release Nairobi, Kenya (October 13, 2026) – TFO Canada is proud to announce the launch of Trade for Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth (TRISEG) in Kenya, in partnership with Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA). TRISEG is a five-year initiative (2025–2030) designed to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and contribute to sustainable economic growth in 16 developing and least developed countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, TRISEG will work with Trade Support Institutions (TSIs) and other stakeholders in participating countries to strengthen...
Press Release Lusaka, Zambia (October 06, 2026) – TFO Canada is proud to announce the launch of Trade for Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth (TRISEG) in Zambia, in partnership with Zambia Development Agency (ZDA). TRISEG is a five-year initiative (2025–2030) designed to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and contribute to sustainable economic growth in 16 developing and least developed countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, TRISEG will work with Trade Support Institutions (TSIs) and other stakeholders in participating countries to strengthen their capacity to...
A new commentary argues that Canada’s trade push overlooks the environmental footprint of what it imports, and that sustainability is becoming a condition of market access. Canada is the world’s 11th-largest importer of agri-food products, bringing in about 88% of the fresh fruit and nuts and 72% of the fresh vegetables it consumes, yet its trade strategy focuses almost entirely on exports. Writing in Policy Options, researchers call this a blind spot: environmental degradation abroad eventually translates into supply disruptions, price spikes and quality failures for Canadian buyers, and much of Canada’s raw-commodity supply comes from regions where trade agreements...
EFTA and Vietnam signed a comprehensive free trade agreement in Hanoi, concluding talks that began in 2012. On 15 October 2026, the European Free Trade Association — Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein — and Vietnam signed a comprehensive free trade agreement in Hanoi, closing negotiations launched back in 2012 and finalized in July. The deal covers trade in goods and services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, investment, intellectual property, government procurement, and dedicated chapters on sustainable development, SMEs, and capacity building. Bilateral trade between the two sides reached EUR 4.8 billion (around USD 5.5...
Banana demand is recovering in Europe, but a 25% jump in freight costs is reshaping who stays profitable. The story this season isn’t price — it’s margin. European demand is bouncing back after a weak summer (Dutch green bananas are back to €15-16.50, Italian sales up with the new school year), yet Central and South American suppliers are absorbing a 25% rise in logistics costs alongside pricier fertilizer and packaging, and retailers are pushing back on higher selling prices. North American contract talks now point to considerably higher prices for 2027, with diesel and a weaker dollar adding pressure. The...