Dar es Salaam. Days are numbered for availability of counterfeit products in the market, as the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) prepares to roll out the remaining phases of the Electronic Tax Stamps (ETS) system. The first phase of the system covered wines, spirits and cigarettes starting last January. The system was fully rolled out for all alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and bottled water on June 15. The government embarked on Phase Two of ETS on August 1, 2019. The TRA commissioner general, Dr Edwin Mhede, announced through a newspaper advertisement recently that, in line with Regulation 29 of the 2018 ETS legislation, the second phase of the project would be rolled out on sweetened or flavoured waters and other non-alcoholic beverages - with the exclusion of vegetable juices, which are under tariff heading 20.09, according to the tariff classifications. For his part, the TRA Taxpayer Education director, Mr Richard Kayombo, said at the weekend that the exercise was going hand in hand with a system which allows companies and individuals to verify the authenticity of tax stamps on various products by using their smartphones. The verification can also be conducted using barcodes. “Counterfeits are a challenge to members of the business community and to the government alike. We lose revenues through counterfeits and this is one of the benefits that will come with the ETS project,” he said. He was speaking on the sidelines of a breakfast meeting organised by the Confederation for Tanzania Industries (CTI). “Through the barcode and the...

Trade and political disputes between member states of the East African Community (EAC) are resulting into an increase in Non-Tariff barriers and other hindrances to trade in the region. To find out solutions, Kenneth Bagamuhunda, Director General of Customs and Trade at the East African Community joins CNBC Africa for more. Source: CNBCAfrica

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is setting its sights on taking advantage of Rwanda's inland port as a hub into Central and West Africa. H.E Hazza Mohammed Falah Kharsan Alqahtani, UAE Ambassador to Rwanda joins CNBC Africa's Arnold Kwizera for more. Source: CNBCAfrica

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Trade activity is rooted in basic supply and demand. The female population is estimated to account for 50% of Africa’s total population, and so it is essential to consider women when deliberating on implementation of crucial policies such as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. The AfCFTA aims to create a single continental market for goods and services in member nations of the African Union. It is expected to be the largest global trade bloc, consolidating a market of 1.3 billion consumers with a combined GDP of about $3.3 trillion. Africa could add at least 4.5% to that on the back of enhanced trade activities, according to the Africa Development Bank. The role of women in driving general consumption patterns cannot be overemphasized. Across households, women are more likely to spend their income on products and services that will benefit the smooth running of their homes. Evidence from a range of countries shows that increasing the share of household income controlled by women, either through their own earnings or cash transfers, changes spending patterns that benefit children. Industry sources suggest that women reinvest 90% of their income back into their families, while men reinvest only 30-40%. Therefore, women have a critical part in achieving the desired demand boost that would support the exchange of goods and services among countries throughout the AfCFTA. In most of the African countries signed up to this agreement, the agriculture sector is a primary driver. The contribution of women to the agricultural labour force ranges between...

Japan and the African Development Bank on Friday announced a joint target of $3.5 billion under the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance for Africa initiative (EPSA4), during the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 7). Both Japan and the Bank have set a target of $1.75 billion each, from 2020-2022, to enhance the fourth phase of EPSA to spur private-sector-led sustainable and inclusive growth in Africa. “Building on the successful achievements so far, Japan and the Bank have decided to upgrade EPSA in both quality and quantity to meet financial needs for infrastructure development as well as for the private sector development in Africa,” Japan’s State Minister of Finance,” Mr. Keisuke Suzuki said at the EPSA4 launch ceremony held in Yokohama and attended by government officials and a high-level delegation from the Bank as well as representations of the business community. “I wish that the new EPSA initiative will lead to business, investment promotion, and job creation in Africa,” Mr. Suzuki noted. Electricity, transportation, and health will be key priorities under EPSA4. Projects and programs for the three key priorities will be formulated and implemented in line with the G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment and G20 Shared Understanding on the Importance of UHC Financing in Developing Countries. African countries will also be provided with support to improve and create conducive business environments to attract private investments. “Today marks another day to celebrate the strong and impactful partnership between Japan and the African Development Bank. The African Development Bank...

South Sudan's chance to be the first major consumer of Uganda’s excess electricity may not be realised soon as the country still lacks interconnection lines to evacuate power. This was one of the items on the agenda at the August 24 meeting between President Yoweri Museveni and his South Sudan counterpart Salva Kiir at State House Entebbe. Also featured was the extension of the road to Juba. A source told The EastAfrican that the two leaders noted the plans were behind schedule, as power interconnection projects under the East African Community Power Pool were in 2015 planned for commissioning by 2020. South Sudan is an oil producer, but it exports crude and the government has a huge fuel import bill, spending $1.6 billion per year on fuel products, half of which goes to power generators. In addition, the United Nations peacekeeping mission and international humanitarian operations are almost exclusively diesel-powered, with a combined budget of more than $2 billion per year, according to a 2018 United States Institute of Peace (USIP) report. South Sudan presents a good export market for Uganda, whose installed capacity currently stands at 1,167MW. When the 600MW Karuma hydropower dam comes online, the country’s total installed capacity will be more than three times the current peak consumption of 600MW. Following up on a memorandum of understanding in 2015, Uganda signed an agreement with South Sudan in October 2017 to supply power via a 400kV line from Karuma hydropower dam, which authorities say is set for completion by the...

The Central Corridor of the East African Community (EAC) has embarked on various infrastructure projects that aim to facilitate trade in the region. However, lack of financing among other deterrents has been hindering their completion. Dieudonne Dukundane, Executive Secretary of the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency joins CNBC Africa for more. Source: CNBC Africa

Shippers demand high performing corridors that reduce cost and time spent on transport and logistics and increase the reliability and predictability of the corridors. Hence trade facilitation is key to continued trade growth. However, recent studies conducted by World Bank indicates that 75% of the delays in the movements of goods are from trade facilitation and that 25% is attributed to infrastructure. In this regard intra-regional trade, is often hindered by long procedures involved in passing through two sets of identical controls on each side of the border. Lengthy transit times increase the cost of trade and make African businesses less competitive. Given that Africa comprises 54 countries, 16 of which are land-locked, the negative impact of inefficient border controls on Africa’s economy is significant. Coincide with TICAD VII, where one of the main pillars empathizes on ‘Economic Transformation and Improvement in business environment and Institutions through private investment and innovation’’ shares the same aspirations of AUDA-NEPAD to create an enabling efficient environment to facilitate trade. To strengthen the development and operations of One Stop Border Post (OSBP), in each Regional Economic Community (REC), ‘’training of trainers (ToT) and data collection seminar for RECs’’ took place in Kigali, Rwanda from 29th to 31st July 2019. The objective of the seminar was for the REC participants to; share knowledge and experiences in the development and operations of OSBPs. The seminar was co-sponsored by African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and hosted by the East Africa Community...

Rwanda’s dry port will ease trade not only in Rwanda, but also in the neighbouring markets, Mohammed Al Kamali the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Exports has said. Dubai Exports is the promotion agency of the Department of Economic Development – a government body entrusted to set and drive Dubai’s economic agenda within the broader governance systems of the United Arab Emirates. Al Kamali and a delegation from the UAE yesterday paid a visit to the facility owned by Dubai Ports World (DPW), a Dubai based global port operator. The United Arab Emirates firm signed a 25-year concession agreement with government in 2016 to construct and manage the mega facility that sits on about 30 hectares of land. Located in Masaka the dry port is the country’s largest inland cargo handling facility having become operational in June. It has mega cargo handling facility with features such as container yard and bonded warehouse. According to DPW, the first phase of the facility is now ready, with an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes and 640,000 tonnes of warehousing space. Speaking to The New Times during the facility tour, Al Kamali said that the facility is as a solution that will ease trade in Rwanda, and close markets. “It is not only going to serve this country but it is going also to reach to the closest markets to Rwanda. DP World’s solutions available for the traders are going to be very practical and competitive in terms of time,” he said. A statement from DP World...