At least 350,000 women in East Africa are set to be supported to become import and export traders to take advantage of the region's common market, top official of the implementing agency Trade Mark East Africa said in Nairobi on Wednesday. Frank Matsaert, the CEO of Trade Mark East Africa, said the support has been motivated by the fact that 5,000 women targeted in the phase one of the project and another 25,000 in phase two since 2010 had doubled their income. "This is a commitment we are making today to ensure that women of East Africa fully benefit from the common market," he said during the launch of a report in Nairobi on accessing how women have fared in trade within the regional bloc. "Women play a crucial role in growing trade and therefore economies within East Africa. We therefore need to find ways of supporting women in business. It is about partnerships with various organizations," Matsaert added. Trade Mark East Africa is a non-profit body that works with various partners to grow potential or intra-East Africa and the region's potential to export. Its various activities indicate that it has been active and instrumental in reforming border point entries to ease business environment especially for the small-scale traders selling across borders. The organization said its flagship project has been One Stop Border Post Program, which facilitates joint processing to reduce transit costs incurred in cross border movement by combining the activities of both country's border organizations and agencies at...

Small-scale traders and border communities in Africa must be involved in the formulation of regional common markets in order to help them benefit fully from regional integration, a top UN trade official said in Nairobi on Wednesday. Mukhisa Kituyi, the Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), gave an example of East Africa common market where during its formation, traders in the negotiations were usually drawn from large businesses. "Border communities for instance are always accused of smuggling. A small-scale trader crossing the border point with goods is likely to be harassed unlike those crossing with huge trucks carrying goods," he said. Kituyi said across Africa's border points, small-scale traders are always discriminated because they are seen as smugglers yet supporting them to do cross-border trader will increase the benefits of regional integration. Kituyi spoke during the launch of new research and analysis on the role of women in cross-border trade, titled "East African Community Regional Integration: Trade and Gender Implications" undertaken by TradeMark Africa, a trade promotion agency. "This new analysis is another UNCTAD contribution to the debate on how we, together, can make trade policy more gender-sensitive, and pave the way for more inclusive prosperity that leaves no one behind," he said. The report looks at gender and trade issues in five East Africa Community countries to assess the impact of regional integration on women's employment and quality of life. Its key message is the importance of putting in place policies to address...

Nairobi — Clearance of goods at the Namanga border is expected to ease with the operationalization of a modern one-stop border post on Tuesday. State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu said President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to launch the border post to enhance efficiency at the Kenya-Tanzania border. The opening of the one-stop border post comes amidst an on-and-off trade spat between Kenya and Tanzania that has seen the two neighbours restrict movement of select goods due to tariff and non-tarriff barriers. The latest trade disagreement was a week ago when Tanzanian Authorities blocked confectionary from Kenya on what was believed to be a misinterpretation of a duty exemption rule on sugar products, according to Kenya Revenue Authorities. Speaking during his weekly briefing, Esipisu said the one-stop border post is in line with the government's commitment to the improvement of regional transport infrastructure, which remains a key priority to all East Africa Community states. "It will spearhead the ease of movement of goods and people within the region," Esipisu said on Sunday. The one-stop border post also aims at deepening policy integration and reducing barriers to trade in the region. "Additionally, the Namanga One Stop Border Post will boost trade by improving coordination and collaboration between the different agencies, thus contributing to a reduction in transport cost, whilst increasing volumes of transit cargo through the Northern Corridor," he added. The customs facility comprises offices and space for immigration processes and verification; warehousing and cold rooms for the goods traded across the...

WORKS and Communications Minister Makame Mbarawa has directed all institutions providing logistics services at the Dar es Salaam port to harmonize their systems in linking them with the new scanners under installation. "I want you to hand over to me your work plan on how your systems can be connected with the use of the scanners which have cost lot of public funds which should bring impact," Prof Mbarawa told the institutions when visited the port to inspect the scanners yesterday. The institutions include the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania Inland Container Terminal Services (TICTS) and the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). He gave them until Friday this week to meet and discuss on how they would harmonize their systems to enable them operate effectively, directing the TPA's Director Eng Deusdedit Kakoko to chair the meeting. Prof Mbarawa explained that the government has plans to install a total of 12 new such scanners at major ports of Dar es Salaam, Mtwara and Tanga, aiming at scanning all cargo imported through the ports for safety and economic reasons. The scanners would be scanning vehicles and other consignments to be transported by railway, including containerized cargo. The scanners were purchased following President John Magufuli's order to the TPA to procure the equipment. His order in 2016 was after he witnessed only two TPA scanners out of four functioning, creating loopholes for tax evasion by importers through false and under declaration of goods. Some TRA and TPA officials were also beneficiaries of the poor...

South Africa and Kenya have committed to resolving outstanding bilateral issues between the countries in preparation for the upcoming 6th Session of the Joint Trade Committee (JTC) which will be held in Mombasa, Kenya in September 2018 The two countries are expected to strengthen trade relations in coming days. (Image source: World Bank Photo Collection/Flickr) This commitment was agreed between South Africa’s director-general of trade and industry, Lionel October, and the Kenyan principal secretary for the State Department of Trade in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, Dr Chris Kiptoo, during a bilateral meeting that was held on the margins of the two-day Japan-Africa Public-Private Economic Forum on 6 May 2018. Lionel October undertook to host the first ever Kenya-South African Trade Week in South Africa in October 2018 and to also share a list of the top 40 investment projects in South Africa that Kenyan businesses can invest in. “The latter is in reciprocation to the Kenyan State Department of Trade as having already shared with us a list of bankable investment projects in Kenya last year. Trade Invest Africa (TIA) will also facilitate engagements between Kenya and the Invest South Africa (InvestSA) division on identified investment projects in South Africa,” said October. The meeting agreed on the following action plan on trade and investment activities between the countries: · South Africa to lead an outward trade and investment mission to Kenya by the end of May 2018 · South Africa to undertake a project-specific mission to Kenya...

Increased private consumption and a normalisation of the weather are expected to lift Kenya’s economic growth to 5.5 per cent this year, the World Bank says in a newly released report. The World Bank says economic growth could hit 6.1 per cent by 2020 when the potential but unrealised production levels is likely to have been achieved. “Economic activity is poised to rebound over the medium term. GDP growth is projected to recover to 5.5 per cent in 2018, and steadily rise to 6.1 per cent by 2020 when output gaps in the economy would have closed,” the bank says in the latest edition of its six-month publication, the Kenya Economic Update. The report says that the dissipation of political tension and the strengthening of the global economy are also expected to work in Kenya’s favour. The projection is further predicated on the repeal of the one-year-old law that restricts movement of interest rates, and which has constrained small and medium-sized enterprises access to credit. “The baseline [of the projection] assumes that the ongoing discourse to repeal the interest rate cap will be successful in 2018, thereby supporting a robust recovery in private sector credit growth in 2019 and beyond,” the report says. Private consumption Recovery of private consumption is expected to occur in the medium term, driven by pocket-friendly food prices unlike last year when drought hit household consumption hard. “With the ongoing broad-based recovery in the global economy, remittances to the economy is projected to be robust, thereby...

Iringa. Partners of the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (Sagcot) are confident that the government’s infrastructure drive will help speed up the country’s ambitious industrialisation goal. This was said recently by partners of the corridor when President John Pombe Magufuli paid a visit to Ihemi area during the launch of Silver sands Tanzania Limited. The company has a soya processing mill, poultry feed making machines and a large silo storage chain. During the tour, President Magufuli said he was impressed with the investment and products where he reiterated that his government will improve all infrastructures. “The industrial economy base needs reliable electricity and better infrastructures,” the President said during the launch. He also praised Iringa regional leaders led by Amina Masenza, who is the Regional Commissioner, for promoting the industrialisation agenda. “I am happy to learn that there are 2,665 industries in Iringa. You are doing a good job,” the President said, noting that the industries will create many jobs for the youth. The firm’s board chairman, Dr Ben Moshi thanked the regional administration and Sagcot Centre Limited for support and encouragement. “Our soya processing plant has created a market for soya beans for small scale farmers in Iringa and neighbouring regions,” Dr Moshi said. He added that through its training centre, over 800 people have been equipped with crucial skills. The Sagcot Centre chief executive officer, Mr Geoffrey Kirenga said the partners have expressed their feelings and confidence in President Magufuli’s visit to Ihemi despite his tight schedule....

Arusha. The East African Community (EAC) is expected to lay the carpet for its investment needs during a forum slated for Berlin next week. "There will be a high level discussions in which investment proposals will be laid bare", said the secretary general Liberat Mfumukeko. Speaking here on Friday after hosting the German Foreign minister Haiko Mass, the SG said EAC has ample opportunities for private sector investment from the European economic power house. Major German companies and potential investors with foothold in Africa will be at the May 15th forum in Berlin, the capital city. The event will be coordinated by the German-African Business Association (Verein der Deutschen Wirtschaft) and the East African Business Council (EABC). "The forum will define new areas of cooperation between Germany and EAC, specifically to enhance private sector investment in our region", he said. According to Amb. Mfumukeko, Germany had supported the EAC to the tune of 290 million Euros in the last two decades. The support include the construction of the EAC headquarters in Arusha and capacity building for EABC, the apex body of the private sector associations in the region. The forum will be taking place as the EAC and German were finalizing an agreement of 5m Euros to support the small and micro enterprises sector in EA. "The aim of the project is to improve opportunities for growth for SMEs in the region", the Community boss explained as he met the German delegation. On April 9th this year, the two sides...

The Government of Rwanda and Trademark East Africa have undertaken a project to set up four cargo and passenger ports at Lake Kivu, a move intended to develop trade, maritime transport and tourism around the lake, government officials have said. The Rwf22 billion project which will be built in the four districts of Rubavu (Nyamyumba), Rusizi ( Bugiki), Karongi (at the Karongi cross-border market); and Rutsiro (Nkora region). Speaking to Sunday Times, the Planning Division Manager at Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA), Fabrice Barisanga, said the construction will start towards the end of 2018 and will be completed by end of 2019, and be used in 2020. There will be three major ports with capacity of about 1.5 million passengers per year in 2020, projected to reach 2.8 million by 2036, while a smaller one in Karongi will start with a capacity of about 300,000 passengers per year by 2020 and 400,000 passengers by 2036. The port maximum cargo handling capacity is 580,000 tonnes, while the minimum is 270,000 tonnes. He said that there will be more passengers using maritime transport because it will be more affordable than road transport. Some companies that could benefit from using the facilities include brewer BRALIRWA), cement producer, CIMERWA, tea factories, and coffee companies in Western Province. Barisanga revealed that they already have about 44% of the required budget, and are looking for support from various partners. The ports will boost cross-border trade as many people come from the DR Congo to buy products...

Dar es Salaam Tanzania’s economy grew around 7.1 per cent last year, beating the government’s own revised forecast, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said. In November, the East African country trimmed its gross domestic product (GDP) to 7.0 per cent from 7.1 percent. That forecast had also been revised from 7.4 percent. But Majaliwa said East Africa’s third-largest economy grew faster than expected last year owing to an increase in mining activity. “Latest data ... shows that the country’s gross domestic product grew 7.1 per cent in the period between January and December 2017, compared to a GDP growth of 7.0 per cent in 2016,” Majaliwa said in the parliamentary presentation obtained by Reuters. The session on Monday was held behind closed doors. Full-year GDP growth in 2017 was driven by mining and quarrying (17.5 per cent), transport and storage (16.6 per cent) and construction (14.7 per cent) activities, he said. Cut forecast The World Bank cut its forecast for Tanzania’s full-year GDP growth in November to 6.6 percent due to slowdowns in public spending and growth of credit to the private sector. Tanzania has pledged to boost public investment in infrastructure projects, including a standard gauge railway, new roads and an expansion of ports. But some investors have been unnerved by some policies from the government of President John Magufuli, who is nicknamed “The Bulldozer” for his governing style. “There appears to have been an overall deterioration in business sentiment due to the perceived risks resulting from the unpredictability of...