It was in 1982 when Richard and Brigid Hess officially launched Imani Development. What started 40 years ago as a small consultancy serving the Southern African region has grown to become a leading economic development firm known for its expertise, local knowledge, and integrity.
To celebrate this milestone, Imani Development’s new Managing Director, Mirabel Bausinger, took a moment to share her reflections as the organisation celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Que: Please tell us about your organisation. What do you do?
Ans: We are a private economic development consultancy working across three complementary portfolios: Trade and Regional Integration, Private Sector Development and Agricultural and Value Chain Development.
With an established presence in Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa, Australia, Cyprus and the United Kingdom, we implement development programmes and provide technical advisory support in more than 40 countries. We partner with international donors, development agencies, national and regional governments, civil society, and the private sector to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty throughout the developing world.
Our clients include the European Union, British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, World Bank, African Development Bank, AfCFTA Secretariat, SADC Secretariat, TradeMark East Africa and GIZ amongst many others.
Uncertain Beginnings
Que: How and why did the company start?
Ans: It was not what the textbooks teach about starting a consulting business. After the company that had sent Richard Hess to Zimbabwe suddenly decided to shut down just a year later, Richard and his wife Brigid launched into the unknown. From their modest home office in Harare, Zimbabwe, Imani Development was born, offering export market research and trade policy consulting services. Richard and Brigid decided to name the company Imani, which in Swahili means faith and confidence – the only two things they believed would carry them through.
Our company has since grown and now provides many areas of expertise, with a diverse range of skill sets amongst its staff and associates. This has seen the company transition from specialising in Trade and Export Market Development in the early 1980s to providing expertise in Trade and Regional Integration in the 1990s and 2000s. Over the last two decades, Imani Development has continued to broaden its remit and now covers areas as diverse as Agriculture and Aquaculture, Community and Wildlife Conflict Management, Climate Resilience and Carbon Market Development, Enterprise Challenge Funds and Impact Investing.
First steps into regional integration
Que: How did it grow? What were the contributing factors?
Ans: Imani Development’s first involvement dates back to the mid-1980s when the World Bank provided funds to Zimbabwe for the private sector to develop regional export trade. This involved undertaking market research in several countries in the region to identify export opportunities primarily for Zimbabwe’s manufacturing industries. It was during that time that embryonic regional integration institutions were starting up in Southern Africa, which opened up more opportunities.
The Southern Africa Development Coordinating Conference (SADCC) was formally established in 1982 (now Southern Africa Development Community – SADC). In its early days, at which time Imani was supporting SADC’s development, it was mandated to cover industrial development and subsequently took on a trade mandate. In the same year, the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern African States (PTA) was also launched, with its headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia. This later became the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 1994. From the onset, the development of intra-regional trade was a priority for the PTA. Subsequently, Imani was actively involved with the establishment of the East African Community (EAC), contracted in 1998 to provide support in economic integration to the Secretariat of the then East African Cooperation as it prepared to launch the revived EAC.
By now, Imani had developed a niche market in the region, promoting intra-regional trade and investment, alongside regional integration. The company was offering a particular consulting approach in this field, where there was little competition and experience from within the region. Whilst there was competition coming from overseas consulting firms, Imani’s local knowledge and presence in Africa proved a real advantage.
Trade facilitation in and for the region
Que: What are some of the most significant projects you’ve worked on?
Ans: Imani Development has played a significant role in shaping Africa’s trade agenda. Between 2003 and 2009 Imani was responsible for the implementation of DFID’s Regional Trade Facilitation Programme (RTFP) in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA). At the time, this was DFID’s flagship regional trade and integration project worldwide. The RTFP aimed to facilitate increased trade in the ESA region and aid contribution to the larger goal of job creation and increased incomes for the poor within the SADC and COMESA regions, and subsequently the EAC region. This was achieved through our implementation team working closely with the Secretariats of COMESA, EAC and SADC to facilitate their regional integration agendas as well as with national public and private sectors stakeholders. This programme pioneered an initiative to harmonise the free trade areas of the three Regional Economic Communities in the region. The RTFP played a pivotal role in the successful organisation of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Summit held in October 2008, which in turn led to the development of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA).
Trade at both the regional and international level takes place within the framework of trade agreements. Consequently, Imani works alongside governments, regional economic communities, and the international donor community to strengthen agreements and assist in their practical implementation. Among some of the major projects we have supported are Rwanda and South Sudan’s accession into the EAC and the design of an M&E system for the SADC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
AfCFTA
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) (established in 2018), is an important step towards rationalizing Africa’s regional trade arrangements to deepen economic integration and development of regional value chains, to accelerate the process of structural transformation and diversification of African economies.
In 2021, Imani Development was consulted by the UNDP and AfCFTA Secretariat to develop a road map identifying priority value chains that will promote Africa’s structural transformation and fast-track the achievement of UN Agenda 2030. This Road Map assessed target sectors that hold opportunities for AfCFTA member states, following the tariff and services offers that have been exchanged. Our research identified 10 key regional value chains that can contribute to a “Made in Africa” revolution. These include Automotives; Leather and Leather Products, Cocoa; Soya; Textiles and Apparel; Pharmaceuticals; Vaccine Manufacturing; Lithium – Ion Batteries; Mobile Financial Services; and the Cultural and Creative Industries.
Each of the different value chains identified provides a different perspective that is not only about new product and country-level opportunities for trade, but also how those opportunities will contribute to the realisation of AU Goals and the SDGs.
We believe that the AfCFTA is much more than a trade agreement. It is a tool for sustainable development. We are now witnessing the maturing of trade in Africa: A new era in trade has arrived!
Challenge Funds
Over the last decade, we have actively worked with the private sector through the running of several Challenge Funds. I would like to mention here our strong partnership with Self Help Africa with whom we deliver two EU-financed funds in Kenya and Zambia. The overall objective of these initiatives is to work directly with agri-business to achieve greater integration of smallholder farmers (SHFs) into their value chains, enhance food security and household incomes, and improve access to finance, services and inputs for SHFs. We are currently working with 27 agri-businesses in Zambia and over 35 in Kenya, reaching over 250,000 SHFs across a wide range of agri-value chains.
Que: Imani Development is regarded as one of the leading privately owned economic development consultancy firm. Please highlight how you intend to maintain this position in your sector?
Ans: Imani was recently recognized as a Best For The World™ B Corp in the customer impact area. As all B Corps are already businesses that meet high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose, this additional recognition makes us incredibly proud! Out of 5,000 Certified B Corporations worldwide, we earned this accolade because of several targeted initiatives we are involved with, which are directed at serving underserved populations.
Our declaration of global vision and local knowledge means that we are able to borrow from international best practice, blend it with our local knowledge and then adapt that to local best-fit. Our continuous commitment is to serve our clients and beneficiaries with sustainable economic development solutions that are specifically tailored for them.
Imani meaning “faith” and “confidence”, this has been and will continue to be our approach to clients and project beneficiaries.
Que: What are some of the important lessons that you have learnt in the last 40 years?
Ans: In the last forty years, we have learnt that the development landscape remains a dynamic and volatile operating environment. However, we have also learnt to adapt to the changing times. We believe this is an opportune time for a regionally based company that supports development on a rapidly transforming continent. Our declaration of global vision and local knowledge continues to signpost the true value we bring, and this is reason enough for us to remain who we are and where we are. The importance of our ability to collaborate with respected and respectful partners is increasingly clear while bringing in a local dimension that few others can replicate. However, the demands of big donors with deep pockets and long payment schedules continue to dictate what we can do on our own. Even so, we remain well-placed and continue to be sought after as trusted partners.
Going forward
The environment we operate in requires agility, innovation and integrity. Being aware of a constantly changing ecosystem, we believe in the need to continuously explore new markets and innovative solutions to facilitate the process of economic growth and poverty reduction in the developing world. We remain committed to pioneering new ways of working, building on our roots and drawing on the knowledge and expertise of our partners, staff, associates and wider networks.