Arusha — Presidents of the six countries making up the East African Community who were to gather here for the 18th EAC Ordinary Heads of State Summit Meeting, have postponed their schedule. The Head of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs at East African Community Secretariat, Mr Richard Owora Othieno, said the EAC Heads of State Summit which was to be held in Arusha on the 6th of April, 2017 under the Chairmanship of President John Magufuli, will now be convened at a later date. "The 6th of April is a special day for Burundi and therefore the Chairman of the Heads of State Summit agreed to push forward the meeting to a later date," said Mr Othieno. Heads of State who were to meet in Arusha under the Summit Chair, John Magufuli, include President Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Pierre Nkurunziza (Burundi) and for the first time, Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan which is the newest member State in the EAC fold. Source: All Africa

DANIDA providing additional USD5.5 million to extend Electronic Single Window which was launched in November 2016 with 6 Government agencies on board Kampala, 5th April 2017: An additional 16 government agencies involved in clearing international trade documents will be linked to the Uganda Electronic Single Window (ESW) as phase two of the system commences. This brings to total, 23 government agencies that will be in the single window. The announcement was made yesterday by East Africa’s leading trade facilitation agency, TradeMark Africa, as it signed an MOU with DANIDA Uganda, to receive additional funds of USD5.5 Million for the expansion of the Uganda Electronic Single Window. This brings DANIDA’s total investment in the project to USD 10.5 million. An electronic single window system enables international (cross-border) traders to submit regulatory documents at a single location. It enhances clearance efficiency and reduces time taken to clear cargo by enhancing sharing and exchange of information between customs, other border agencies and private sector stakeholders. Speaking at the signing ceremony, The Danish Ambassador in Uganda Mogens Pedersen said “ I commend the Government of Uganda for supporting initiatives that lead to reduction of costs of doing business. And especially its partnership with TMA which has ensured successful implementation of projects that the impact big and small businesses and especially women specifically. Such good will encourages us to support these initiatives.” Annette Mutaawe, TMA Chief Strategy and Results Officer said “DANIDA support to TMA is greatly appreciated, when the ESW is fully implemented it will reduce...

Construction will begin next week on a 41.7 kilometre stretch of the Mombasa-Nairobi highway as the government takes the first step to expand the road. Work on the Mombasa-Mariakani segment of the highway is the first phase in an infrastructural plan to upgrade the 485 kilometre road, a main artery for the region’s trade which has nevertheless been plagued by chronic traffic snarl-ups. “Work along that section of the road will start in the second week of April and it is estimated to cost Sh22 billion,” said Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia. The goal is to convert the road into a dual carriage way paving the way for tolling which will see motorists pay more to drive. Work on the Mariakani-Mombasa segment of the highway is partly financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) which had in 2015 committed to Sh12.7 billion ($123 million) to the project. Over 90 per cent of goods landing at Mombasa port are moved by road and the remaining by railway, underlining the importance of the highway in the face of growing cargo. However, the road’s share of cargo is expected to fall to about 50 per cent once the government completes building the standard gauge railway (SGR). The Treasury last year picked a consortium led by consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers to offer transaction advisory for the expansion. The highway is crucial for trade in the region since it connects Mombasa port to hinterland markets, including landlocked Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. The port handled 1.07 million...

Ratification of a 2013 protocol meant to promote peace, security, stability and good inter-nation relations within the East African Community (EAC) should be taken as a matter of urgency, regional lawmakers have said. The EAC Peace and Security Protocol, ,signed by five partner states in February 2013  (before entry of South Sudan)  following more than four years of negotiations has only been ratified by Rwanda and Uganda. In separate interviews, last week, the lawmakers said it is incumbent upon the partner states that have not ratified to do so “as a matter of urgency.” “We need to have a legal framework and some peace and security architecture implemented in the region to be able to engage on matters of peace and security,” said MP Mike Sebalu (Uganda), a member of the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). “The most difficult and most challenging aspect is negotiation. When you have negotiated and reached an agreement on how you want such instruments to be and provided a regulatory framework, the ratification is the timely end of the process. It should be the easiest thing to do because the details are considered at the stage of negotiation.” Sebalu said it “gives me a bit of trouble” to see that partner states negotiate instruments but develop jelly knees when it comes to ratifying them. “There has always been a constant recommendation imploring partner states to append their signatures and ratify. We have always been given assurances...

Speaking soon after launching the train over the weekend in Dar es Salaam, Acting TRL Executive Director Shaban Kiko said that for first time TRL was providing 20 wagons at a time from Dar es Salaam to Burundi. He said initially TRL used to transport two to three cargo wagons from Dar es Salaam port to Burundi. “The block train services are launched for business and private companies that can transport up 20 cargo wagons,” he said. According to the TRL official, the 20 block train launched contained iron coils, the property of UBUCOM of Burundi, and will take three days up to Kigoma and one more day to Burundi. He clarified that TRL had reduced transportation cost for lose cargo and that protected in the special containers. He said lose cargo was charged at USD 3,056 per wagon and USD 3024 for fully covered wagons from Dar es Salaam to Burundi compared to the cost of transporting them by road. Two years ago, former president Jakaya Kikwete and his Burundian counterpart Pierre Nkurunziza launched the beginning of three freight wagon train routes to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and Burundi, at the Tanzania Railway Limited (TRL) central station in Dar es Salaam. Source: IPP Media

Mr Desalegn reiterated his commitment to use the Dar es Salaam Port in transporting cargo as well as extending cooperation with Tanzania on Air Freight Forwarding Services. The Ethiopian leader commended the Port of Dar es Salaam for higher efficiency and said that the Ethiopian Shipping Line will start to call at the Port of Dar es Salaam in the near future. Speaking few minutes after visiting Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) yesterday, Mr Desalegn said: "I am glad to learn that TPA is working very hard to make the service competitive for the benefit of our people. " "Ethiopia is keen to learn from Tanzania because our country has a comparative advantage in the transport sector whereby we have Ethiopian shipping line, one of the few remaining on the African continent," said Mr Desalegn. In his remarks, Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa expressed Tanzania's commitment to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. TPA Director General (DG), Engineer Deusdedit Kakoko, said with the number of measures taken such as automation of services, installation of Integrated Security System (ISS) and improved spatial and infrastructure capacity to increase the efficiency at the Port, "We are actually looking forward for a much more volume in future as envisaged in our Port Master Plan," he said, adding: "In cognizance of the increase in traffic volume in future, we are committed to ensuring that the Port infrastructure and superstructure are modernised in response to regional trade demands, notably lower costs of transportation, which will...

Trade between Tanzania and France is still low at around 200 million Euros in favour of Paris, as authorities in both sides figure ways of increasing the volume. Trade figures, according to French Embassy in Dar es Salaam, shows Tanzania imported goods worth 135 million euros while exported 70 million euros in 2016. France Embassy's Economic and Trade Advisor, Beatrice Alperte said trade volume from either side was low as most are pharmaceutical from Paris and raw agricultural goods from Dar. "This volume is very low... it's our sincere hope the France- Tanzania Business Forum will alter the figures to better," Ms Alperte told the 'Daily News' ahead of Tanzania- France business forum which begins in Dar es Salaam today. The private sector led fourday forum aims at strengthening and nurturing trade initiatives whose ultimate goal is to improve the two countries' business partnership. The event will focus on sectors that will support the Tanzania strategy of industrialisation: Energy, including Renewable Energies, Transport, Digital solutions and will seek how to provide capacity building to local businesses. More than 200 people are expected to participate, including at least 50 French and Tanzanian companies. Tanzanian students from universities and technical high schools of Dar es Salaam have been invited. Ms Alperte admitted that French participation in East African bloc trading and investment was low compared to West Africa but said she hoped things would change. She said "Total is well known in these parties, but we have bigger companies as well on...

The inaugural Manufacturing East Africaconference will be hosted in Nairobi, Kenyafrom the 19 – 20 April 2017 and has been developed to explore and address the growing need for intra-Africa trade across the continent.  The event will comprise a 1 day conference, manufacturing competitiveness workshop and allocated business networking time. There is increased interest from South African manufacturers to explore new markets to sell products and services and with the rapidly growing East African market, this provides an opportunity to establish new business partnerships, trade relationships, the opportunity to explore investment into the regional SEZs and a platform to engage and meet with key East African stakeholders.  The event is partnered with the South African Department of Trade and Industry, the Manufacturing Circle, Kenya Manufacturers Association, Trade Invest Africa, CAIA as well as our private sector partner, Deloitte Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. "Many local companies have registered to attend and we look forward to hosting a successful inaugural event aimed at paving the way for manufacturing growth and intra-Africa trade.  This further supports the growth strategy of the annual Manufacturing Indaba hosted in South Africa to aid companies to find emerging markets to enable growth.’  commented Liz Hart, Managing Director of the Manufacturing Indaba portfolio of events. Source: Engineering News

The president of the African island nation of Seychelles kicked off a three-day visit to Kenya on Monday, his first visit to a foreign country since he was elected president last October. Danny Faure met with Uhuru Kenyatta, the president of the East African nation, in Nairobi, who accorded him full state honors including a 21-gun salute. In talks aimed at bolstering trade and cooperation between the two countries, Faure announced that Seychelles will start importing beef from Kenya, stating that it will be cheaper than Brazil, where they previously imported their meat from before a meat inspection scandal. “We want now to start imports of meat and poultry from Kenya, with the main objective being bringing down the cost of living for the citizens of Seychelles,” Fuare said. Kenyatta said that his country will receive support from Seychelles to fully realize its blue (ocean) economy potential, Seychelles also promised to aid Kenya in boosting its maritime security. On Tuesday, Faure will visit the Kenyan meat commission. The Seychelles archipelago lies 2,000 kilometers southeast of Kenya in the Indian Ocean. Source: World Bulletin

Kenya and the Seychelles have agreed to combat illegal fishing in Indian Ocean, which borders the two countries. Speaking at State House, Nairobi, after holding bilateral talks, Seychelles President Danny Faure and his host Uhuru Kenyatta agreed to support best fishing practices and share intelligence on maritime security. “We will be exchanging intelligence and ideas on how to combat drug trafficking, piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean,” said President Kenyatta. “We will eliminate this evil trade.” The Head of State added that the Seychelles will help Kenya to develop its fish industry at the Coast, which he said is not fully unexploited. The coastline between the two countries has witnessed cases of piracy and drug trafficking, among others, and the two nations have vowed to end it. President Kenyatta described the visit by President Faure as historic, saying it marks the beginning of a new partnership between the two countries. “The Seychelles can support Kenya in the development of its blue economy with partnership in areas such as tourism, horticulture and livestock industry,” he said. TRAINED TEACHERS The President also disclosed that trained teachers will to be taken to the island nation to support its education sector but did not disclose the number. “We have been exporting our human capital to several countries such as Namibia, Rwanda and Liberia and we will continue to do so,” he said, noting that the partnership will be a win-win one for both countries. President Faure said 400 Kenyans are working in his...