According to their latest report, Foresight Africa: Top priorities for the continent 2020-2030, only Senegal, Rwanda and Niger economies will grow faster than Uganda between 2020—2024. President Yoweri Museveni commissioning the Isimba hydro power dam in March last year in Kamuli District. Investment in infrastructure is expected to be one of the drivers of economic growth in Uganda The Brookings Institution, an American think tank, has projected that Uganda will be among the fastest-growing economies on the African continent in the coming decade. According to their latest report, Foresight Africa: Top priorities for the continent 2020-2030, only Senegal, Rwanda and Niger economies will grow faster than Uganda between 2020—2024. The report projects that Uganda will grow by an average of 7.2% annually during the period. This is almost twice the Sub-Saharan Africa growth average of 3.9%. Senegal is expected to grow the fastest at 8.3%, followed by Rwanda at 7.9% and Niger 7.3%. Brookings did not make specific mention of what the drivers of Uganda’s growth will be, but other economists point to the ongoing infrastructure investment, first oil and greater regional integration as the key drivers of growth in the coming years. According to the Brookings Institution, Uganda was not among the top 10 fastest growing economies in Africa between 2015 and 2019. Mali was the 10th fastest at 5.4% while Ethiopia was the fastest at 8.7%. Economists react The report drew mixed reactions from local economists. Makerere University’s Fred Muhumuza was sceptical about the projections and suggested they may...

The Government of Ethiopia launches an electronic platform that will enhance efficiency in trade logistics landscape of the country by speeding the customs process for importers and exporters. It is said will reduce the 44 days hectic long paper work process for importers and exporters to 15 days. Gradually, it is also expected to cut the 15 days to three working days. The study to launch the electronic platform has been conducted for the past five years, according to Adanech Abebe, Minister of Revenue, who indicated that the technology will play key role in facilitating and speeding the process for importers and exporters. Ethiopia Electronic Single Window Service, is launched in the presence of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed. It is stated that the online e-business / e-government services streamlines processes and saves time. Embracing digital transformation offers better service rendering practices and higher customer satisfaction. Adanech Abebe, noted that the new electronic platform will also make the customs procedure easy predictable and reachable. In addition to cutting the paper works, the new e-service will spare the traders from wasting their times and days running from one office to another. Gradually the number of companies using the system will be increasing. South Korean companies have taken part in the development and deployment of the new electronic customs procedures processing platform. With the aim of facilitating the customs procedures deploying new technologies, the government has recently announced liberalization of logistics related businesses to foreign companies and investors. The government of Ethiopia...

The World Bank has projected a weaker economic growth in sub Saharan African in 2020, pinning hopes on investor confidence to turnaround fortunes of the region’s economies. According to the Bank’s 2020 Global Economic Prospects, growth is expected to pick up to 2.9 per cent this year, assuming investor confidence improves in some large economies, energy bottlenecks ease and robust growth continues in agricultural commodity exporters. The forecast is weaker than previously expected, reflecting softer demand from key trading partners, lower commodity prices and adverse domestic developments in several countries. But for East African Community, the problem is further compounded by low intra-trade, meaning much needed foreign exchange is spent on imports from outside the region, leading to slowdown in manufacturing and reduced job opportunities. This is the reason increasing intra-East African Community trade is top on the agenda of the regional private sector-led umbrella body - the East African Business Council (EABC). This was the major resolution arrived at in Arusha last November during the two-day high-level East African Business and Investment Summit. Source: Daily Monitor

Arusha. Intra-regional exports within the East African Community (EAC) bloc grew by 5.6 per cent in 2018, wile cross-border imports shot up by 13.9 per cent. Cross-border exports during the year amounted to $3.2 billion in value, up from $2.9 billion in 2017, according to the EAC Trade and Investment Report for 2019. The marginal growth of exports and imports within EAC is seen as an iota of improvement - given the low level of intra-regional trade ($3.2 billion) in the six-nation bloc. Until 2018, trade within the region was estimated at only 20 per cent of the total EAC trade with the outside world. The trend is blamed on a host of hurdles, notably non-tariff barriers to trade (NTBs). According to the statistics released by the East African Business Council (EABC), the gross EAC economy expanded by 5.7 per cent in 2018 up from 5.6 per cent in the previous year. However, foreign direct investments (FDIs) into EAC fell by 15.9 per cent, to $5.7 billion, in 2018 - down from $6.8 billion in 2017. Total EAC exports decreased by 4.7 per cent, to $14.0 billion, in 2018 from $14.7 billion in 2017 - of which intra-EAC share of total exports stood at 22 per cent. Exports to the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) and the European Union (EU) in 2018 amounted to $1.9 billion and $2.5 billion respectively. On the other hand, total EAC imports grew by 19.2 per cent, to $38.3 billion, in 2018 - up from...

The UESW is a system that leverages technology to allow traders submit all the required regulatory documents to all approving agencies electronically using a single access point. The system will offer seamless clearance of goods, hence shorten clearance time TRADE KAMPALA - The implementation of the Uganda Electronic Single Window (UESW) system has saved traders about $85,000 (sh308.4m) annually, that was being wasted as a result of submitting the required trade documents manually. Speaking during the launch of the second phase progress report on the UESW in Kampala last week, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) acting commissioner customs, Abel Kagumire, said the introduction of the system simplified trade procedures and processes, cutting delays caused by human contact, resulting in substantial cost savings. The UESW is a system that leverages technology to allow traders submit all the required regulatory documents, including permits and customs declarations, to all approving agencies electronically using a single access point. Previously, agencies were working in silos, requiring traders to move with physical documents from one office to another to get the necessary trade certificates. This caused delays and increased the cost of doing business. Abel Kagumire, URA's acting commissioner of customs   According to Kagumire, the UESW system reduced the clearance time of goods from 21 days to 14 days, before falling further to four days for imports and two days for exports. “Getting certificates was a big issue, but now all that is done under the single window following the automation of the certificates. So, no...

While Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway offers a cheaper more efficient transport option for cargo it has also resulted in job losses. The multibillion-shilling SGR offers its services to landlocked countries in East Africa, and so far container traffic has grown fourfold, with the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Nairobi handling up to seven cargo trains daily from just one when the freight service was launched in December 2017. The ICD has also benefited after cargo clearance was moved from Mombasa to Nairobi. In 2019, the SGR hauled close to nine million tonnes of cargo to Nairobi after the government introduced ex-hook railage where cargo is offloaded directly from the ship to the wagon. Uganda’s business community has lauded the project as it has reduced time taken to clear and transport their cargo from one week to a few days. Uganda’s consular in Mombasa, Katureebe Tayebwa, said the SGR was timely as more than 80 per cent of transit cargo handled at the port of Mombasa is destined for Kampala. “We support the SGR and despite a few issues with some transporters we hope to resolve them once the Naivasha terminal becomes fully operational,” said Mr Tayebwa. Source: The East African

*Good figures for the port of Mombasa in Kenya, which recorded its best score in 2019, representing a 7.3% growth in container handling.* With more than 1.400 million twenty-foot containers handled in 2019, a growth of more than 7% more than in 2018, the port of Mombasa scored its best score in its history. This is thanks to growth in transit and transhipment activities and numerous investments. A record which encourages it to go even further in its 2020 forecasts. Source: Youtube

Arua municipality in Uganda has kicked-off the construction of US $5.5m road project. The 2.8km road project stretches from Arua prisons to Arua primary school via River Oli division headquarters. The project is being funded by the World Bank under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development-USMID. According to the Arua Municipal engineer, Anthony Dradria, the dual carriage road will take 18 months to be completed. “Construction works started immediately after the site handover,” he affirmed. He further added that the contractor will receive US $5.07m while the consulting engineer Joadah Consult will receive 253,817. On the other hand, the Arua Mayor, Isa Kato pointed out that upgrading of the two roads is a commendable gesture from the government, which will change the face of Arua town. The Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Program (USMID) The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is implementing Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) program, funded by the World Bank-IDA through a US $150m loan. The program is designed to enhance institutional performance of 14 Municipal Councils so as to improve urban service delivery. The USMID program is being implemented in a context where Uganda since 1986 has experienced high economic growth, poverty reduction and an average annual GDP growth of 8.1 % over the last six years (2003/2004- 2009/2010). It has reduced donor assistance from 52% of the annual budget in the early 1990s to the current level of 32%. USMID is contributing to the Second National Development Plan (2010/2011-2014/2015) which has...

The hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: “Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race.” The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last, waking up and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal and was comfortably dozing due to fatigue. Two years ago, if you told anyone President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga would travel to Kisumu for the launch of the refurbished port, no one would have believed. And so while the country was being treated to unending politics and other sideshows in the last two years, Kisumu was getting a new lease of life. The launch, earlier scheduled for today, marks a major step towards not only re-energising the economy of not only of Kisumu but the entire Western region. Kisumu is now a major economic hub in the region, especially for the countries that rely on Kenya for imports. This port will be a major boost for regional trade as Uganda and Tanzania have already set up offices there. This makes it a major game-changer especially with...

The government of Tanzania has inked a deal to link its Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The agreement which was signed between Transport ministers of the three countries Isack Kamwelwe (Tanzania), Jean Bosco (Burundi) and Roger Biasu (DRC), gives Burundi and DRC direct access to the Dar es Salaam Port, greatly boosting Tanzania’s Central Transport Corridor. Tanzania transport minister Mr. Isack Kamwelwe affirmed that the deal is in line with the completion of a preliminary feasibility study of detail design plans which was successfully done by the consultancy company Gulf Engineering Ltd. Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) The rail line will start from Uvinza district in Kigoma region in north western Tanzania to Gitega, via Msongati region, in Burundi, covering a stretch of 240km. It will then be extended to the eastern regions of DRC according to the agreement. Tender for the project will be issued out this year. Upon completion, Tanzania’s SGR line will be 1,457 km stretch from Dar es Salaam to the shores of Lake Victoria. DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi commended the deal and said that the extension of the SGR line to Rubavu from Kigali would open trade opportunities for the landlocked DRC which depends largely on the ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa to access the sea. Tanzania will become the third country in East Africa to start enjoying modern railway services after Kenya and Ethiopia. Kenya, was the first in the region to start constructing an SGR line,...