Regional Anti-corruption agencies say corruption continues to derail access to justice and basic services in countries like South Sudan. They primarily blamed bribery within government institutions as the leading impediment to access to basic services. A meeting of anti-graft agencies from Kenya, Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda noted that corruption and institutional weaknesses allow impunity to reign and undermine the rule of law in the region. A report by The Sentry in 2021 identified Kenya as the leading destination for money laundering from South Sudan. It said corrupt politicians in South Sudan purchased luxury properties in the neighboring country and set up joint business ventures with local partners and used local banks to transfer their money. The gathering by anti-graft agencies held in Nairobi this week underscored the need to deepen the fight to end corruption post the coronavirus pandemic. In June last year, the Kenyan Asset Recovery Agency froze two bank accounts belonging to a senior minister in South Sudan. The accounts contained more than $124,000 and had reportedly made several suspicious transactions and a transfer of half a million US dollars between them. According to the agency, the minister’s accounts had several suspicious transactions, including a transfer of half a million US dollars – prompting the move to freeze them. An Anti-corruption court, however, lifted the freeze order saying the money in question was not proceeds of crime but legitimate remittances from the Minister’s bank accounts in Juba. On Wednesday, Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption...

Kenyans are staring at tougher times as truckers announce a 5 percent increase in transport costs in the wake of a rise in fuel prices announced on Monday.The Kenya Transporters Association (KTA) announced immediate increase in transport charges starting Tuesday after the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) announced a 10-year high fuel price in its latest monthly review.KTA chairperson Newton Wang’oo said fuel contributes up to 35 percent of total direct transport costs and indirectly affects other costs such as for tyres and spare parts since they are all imported.Mr Wang’oo said transport charges have remained constant from the period when the diesel pump prices in Mombasa were between Sh75 and Sh80 per litre compared to the current Sh108-110 per litre.“Transporters’ margins can no longer sustain any increase in costs and regrettably have to pass on the increase to the cargo owner for road transport sector to survive,” Mr Wang’oo said.“KTA wishes to advise transporters countrywide to increase their transport rates by a minimum of 5 percent to sustain their businesses under current circumstances and to circumvent a total collapse of their businesses.”Abdul Mahamud, a Mombasa transporter who owns 11 trucks operating across East African countries, said he is now forced to fuel in the neighbouring countries where prices are comparatively lower.“I ferry goods to Tanzania and Uganda. I have no otherwise but to fuel my trucks in such countries to ensure the fuel is enough to makes round trip so as to mimimise transportation cost,” said Mr Mahamud.“As...

ravellers crossing through Rusumo border in Kirehe district have expressed delight for improved services following the establishment of One Stop Border Post (OSBP) between Rwanda and Tanzania financed by the Government of Japan. Today, travellers access services at one spot unlike the past when documents were processed at two locations - one in Rwanda and the other across the Tanzanian border. Passengers attest that the development is coupled the upgrading of border infrastructures which contributed to improved services and reduced time it would take from four hours to 30 minutes. Faustin Niyonzima, a truck driver has revealed that the one stop border post enhanced easy access to services and enabled uninterrupted travels. “Immigration and emigration officers from Tanzania and Rwanda operate in the same building, hence easing service delivery unlike the past when a passenger had to get documents processed twice,” he said. Niyonzima explained that set up infrastructures including a modern, ample Parking have played a big part to fast track service delivery at the border. The latter has the capacity to accommodate over 100 trucks. The Assistant Commissioner in charge of Customs Operations at Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), Yvonne Gatera has said that the establishment of one stop border improved services and reduced time it would take to clear goods. “The facility has been helpful in many ways, particularly enhancing trade. For instance, the time spent on procedures to verify goods at the border reduced from four hours to thirty minutes,” she said. The time has also reduced...

The African Development Bank (AfDB), which sets its primary tasks of contributing to the continent’s economic and social development by providing the necessary concessional funding for projects and programmes, as well as offering and coordinating assistance in capacity-building activities, has now embarked on various post-COVID-19 initiatives throughout the continent, especially in the least developed African countries. In the latest was the mid-March event where potential investors have examined more than $50 billion of curated bankable projects in key priority sectors identified in the Africa Investment Forum’s 2020 Unified Response to COVID-19 initiative. The sectors include agriculture and agro-processing; education; energy and climate; healthcare; minerals and mining; information and communications technology and telecommunication; and industrialization and trade. Nine of these projects are women-led, with a potential value of $5 billion. The AfDB has secured $32.8 billion in investment commitments for projects in Africa. The largest deal secured at the three-day Africa Investment Forum was $15.6 billion for the Lagos-Abidjan mega highway of about 1,200 km (745 miles) will have four to six lanes, connecting West Africa’s two major cities in Nigeria and Ivory Coast, said AfDB President, Mr Akinwumi Adesina. “Africa is a very bankable continent. We’ve gone through hard times because of the Covid-19 situation but here we are on a rebound,” said Adesina. “Africa is back for investments.” The projects, part of the bank’s Covid-19 response, touch on sectors including agriculture and agro-processing, education, energy and climate, healthcare, minerals and mining, and information and communications technology. Adesina said that...

If the world is to achieve the 2030 development goals, African countries must institute government-backed efforts to switch to the sustainable Circular Economy model of production/consumption. The circular economy is a model of sustainable production and consumption that shifts economic growth from resource consumption to more sustainable approaches. For example, the Circular economy demands designing products for longer use and ease of repair rather than consumption, a profit-oriented approach that produces short life products to force resell. Economy experts describe the circular economy model as a new paradigm for business that aims to achieve economic growth through new sustainable business models. There are various factors that influence the transition to the circular economy including market awareness, behaviour change, greater access to data and regularization of informal activities. For the circular economy to work, it requires rational practices by all parties of any given product value chains, from producers all the way to the consumer, all are responsible. In this regard, multinational companies (MNCs) are key because they have long value chains including their suppliers, consumers, and even financial and government institutions. To meet global circularity goals, as articulated in Sustainable Goal Number 12 'Responsible Production and Consumption,' circular economy principles require extremely close cooperation between the MNCs and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) suppliers who are mostly in developing countries. However, the trouble is that SMEs are reluctant to switch from Linear economy models because they are profitable in the short run. To ensure this noble goal is met, there...

Southern African Cross Border Traders Association SACBTA secretary general Jacob Makambwe says the association is making strides in training and equipping its members with necessary information on how to access SMEs empowerment schemes under the ministry of small and medium enterprise development. In an interview with q-news Mr. Makambwe says government should consider a targeted focus on cross border traders in terms of empowerments to grow their businesses, looking at the contribution the sector has on the economy. He says following the disruption of cross border trade as a result of the impact of covid19 on global economies the association has been working with open society initiative for southern Africa to provide relief to its members. Mr. Makambwe disclosed that so far 9,000 dollars was made available to support small scale traders especially women. Read original article

Summary There really was never a 100 percent border closure, as the further and unpopular Kagitumba, remained open but for very restricted traffic. Katuna/Gatuna, however, is the big daddy of Rwanda-Uganda border crossings. This time there were extraordinary scenes, as the humble border folk hysterical celebrated as the first passenger buses crossed the border. Many are like faithful polygamists, patriots who love their land with their heads, but whose hearts love the country across where their relatives live, divided from them by colonial borders that the post-independence African rulers inherited and enshrined in stone. This week the Katuna (Rwanda)/Gatuna (Uganda) border opened to passenger traffic after three years following closure in the wake of a big diplomatic fall-out between the two previous bosom allies. It first re-opened at the end of January, but for commercial trucks and Rwandans returning home. There really was never a 100 percent border closure, as the further and unpopular Kagitumba, remained open but for very restricted traffic. Katuna/Gatuna, however, is the big daddy of Rwanda-Uganda border crossings. This time there were extraordinary scenes, as the humble border folk hysterical celebrated as the first passenger buses crossed the border. Many non-border people were surprised and puzzled by the merrymaking. Few people are as intriguing as border folks. Many are like faithful polygamists, patriots who love their land with their heads, but whose hearts love the country across where their relatives live, divided from them by colonial borders that the post-independence African rulers inherited and enshrined in...

Celebrating International Women’s Day has been a joyous event across the country. In particular, with Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe, key activities have enlightened the role of Profemmes in Women’s Development. On this international day, women in cooperatives in Nyamyumba and Rubavu sectors show gratitude to the leaders of Rubavu District and Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe for their support that improved their practices in cross-border trade. These women are now progressing and the goal is still to achieve sustainable development that supports the development of the country and their families. In Kitabi sector in Nyamagabe District, Southern Province, Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe joined the community in celebrating International Women’s Day. The event was marked by the civil marriage of 54 families who were living together illegally. Over the course of 2 weeks, the sector leadership in collaboration with the women and girls’ “Champions” who had already been trained by Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe mobilized” 54 families in 6 cells in the Kitabi sector and were prepared for civil engagement. Those couples’ marriage was legalized on International Women’s Day so that they would be able to live together legally, as a way to honor women in the family. Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe also joined the Gahanga sector in Kicukiro District in celebrating International Women’s Day. Discussions on the principle of gender equality in tackling climate change were hosted by Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe. In Nyagatare District in Eastern Province, women participated in the exhibition to showcase their achievements. In particular, cross-border businesswomen acknowledged Pro-Femmes/ Twese Hamwe for their support...

THE Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) has orchestrated significant operational changes in Lake Victoria ports during President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s first year in office, resulting in increased social and economic productivity. President Samia, a charismatic leader with her slogan of ‘Kazi Iendelee’ literally translated ‘let the work continue’, has demonstrated her quest to realize more socioeconomic benefits from the country’s ports. After assuming the presidency, Samia gave the TPA a 500bn/- war chest to improve the efficiency of the country’s terminals by purchasing modern facilities, including cargo handling tools. Speaking to the ‘Daily News’ in Mwanza recently, Lake Victoria Acting Port Manager, Fransisco Mwanga said part of the money was used to upgrade existing ports on the largest lake in Africa and the second-largest fresh water lake in the world. He said they have benefited from the money by purchasing various equipment including a heavy cargo loading machine for loading and unloading cargo to a ship capable of carrying 50 tonnes of load, 100 tonnes cargo weighing machine installed at Mwanza Port and five other small ones placed at different ports in the lake, signaling potential business area for traders and any investor to tap. Since the 1900s, Lake Victoria ferries have been an important means of transport between Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya and to enhance this, Mr Mwanga said the improvements made to the ports have increased productivity and efficiency. According to Mr Mwanga, during 2020/2021 financial year, Mwanza port catered for 172,422 tonnes of cargoes, estimated as 88 per...

The Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) has announced plans to simplify trade procedures for Avocado and Fish in the current financial year 21/22 in a bid to lower  administrative burden costs for traders. Speaking to a Nigerian delegation who visited KenTrade head offices in Nairobi on a benchmarking  exercise, KenTrade Director, Trade Facilitation David Ngarama said, the move is aimed at reducing the  time and cost of trade for the two commodities. Kenya mainly imports frozen tilapia, frozen mackerels, sardines, prawns and salmon among others while  the country exports frozen nile perch, tuna, octopus, whole tilapia and lobsters notably to the European  Union. Avocado on the other hand has been a major contributor of the earnings in the horticulture sector. Last  Year, Kenya topped Africa’s avocado exports and was among the world top 10 producers. Avocado  farmers earned Sh14.48 billion between January to November 2021. KenTrade is in partnership with GIZ in this simplification exercise. Other stakeholders involved in the exercise include KEPHIS, Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD),  Directorate Public Health, Port Health Services, Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Kenya  Fisheries Services, County Directorate of Fisheries, State Department of Trade (NTFC) Kenya Fish  Processors and Exporters Association (AFIPEK), Avocado Society of Kenya, Avocado Exporters  Association of Kenya. KenTrade has been able to map out procedures for ninety-five (95) commodities, which include all  procedures of export, import and transit on the trade information portal, dubbed InfoTradeKenya Portal. "Upon mapping the procedures, the team started simplification of trade procedures in 2018. To date, ...