Kenya has been elected to the executive council of the United Nation World Tourism Organisation,  Tourism Cabinet secretary Phyllis Kandie has said. The nomination that was confirmed at the ongoing UNWTO general assembly in the Colombia, gives the country a voice in decision making in the global tourism issues for a period of two years. “It is a big honor. East African Community is one of the fastest growing regional economic blocks in the world. It is also endowed with some of the most remarkable touristic attraction to be found anywhere in the globe,” she said. The executive council comprises of 31 members and brings together 154 countries into single global tourism organisations. UNWTO from time to time lends its support to countries facing challenges related to tourism matters, making the nomination to the council a big win for Kenya whose tourism sector has been dented by terror attacks at the coast region. Source: The Star

Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda are funding a campaign to promote the use of the Single Tourist Visa and identity cards for regional travel.   The campaign, to be launched by the three countries’ tourism boards, targets immigration officers, travel agencies, airlines and tour operators. The uptake of the Single Tourist Visa and use of IDs for regional travel remain low, blamed on lack of awareness and poor information among travel and tourism, trade and hospitality providers. Uganda is in the process of issuing IDs; its citizens currently use voters’ cards to travel to Kenya and Rwanda. “We expect 10,000 visitors to have taken up the Single Tourist Visa offer,” said Susan Ongaro, the acting CEO of the Kenya Tourism Federation. Launched in February 2014, about 1,560 Single Tourist Visas were issued by end of that year. The Single Tourist Visa costs $100 for all three countries, instead of $50 for each. The findings of a baseline survey on the awareness of the Single Tourist Visa and IDs to facilitate travel, commissioned by KTF, revealed low levels of awareness among travellers. The June 2015 report indicates that 58.1 per cent of travellers to Kenya  had neither used nor interacted with someone who had used Single Tourist Visa; and 47 per cent of the travellers showed a lack of familiarity with the existence of the Single Tourist Visa. Immigration officials showed high levels of awareness on Single Tourist Visa use with up to 70.8 per cent having used or interacted with someone who...

Mistrust has emerged among the East African Community partner states over Tanzania’s commitment to the Economic Partnership Agreement that would give the region’s goods duty-free access to European markets. Tanzania is likely to delay the signing and ratification of the EPA document on the grounds that it was rushed through. Dar es Salaam has threatened not to sign the deal before its concerns on contentious issues are addressed. The region has until December 31 to sign the deal with the European Union or go back to the negotiating table. Initial document A source at the EAC Secretariat, who is privy to the matter, said Tanzania was forced to sign the initial document on the eve of October 14 after the EU threatened to withdraw its funding for agriculture under the European Development Fund (EDF). “At the time when Tanzania had refused to sign the initial document, discussions on when to release the EDF funds to member countries were ongoing in Italy. So Tanzania was given an option of either signing or forgoing the EDF funds. The same night they agreed to sign the EPA document,” said the official. READ: Relief for Kenyan exporters as Dar signs EPA document Of concern to Tanzania is liberalisation of imports from the EU where the EAC has committed to liberalise up to 82.6 per cent of all its imports from the EU. The area of concern is the export duties where the EAC partner states will not be allowed to impose new export taxes or increase existing ones unless they can justify special needs with regard to revenue, food...

The tracks for a new, faster railway linking the Mombasa to Kenya's capital Nairobi will be laid by the end of 2016 and will open for commercial traffic on target in June 2017, according to the Kenya Railways. The Chinese-financed project is the first stage in a scheme that aims to extend to Uganda and other land-locked states. The goal is to cut the cost of transport and boost trade, by replacing a narrow-gauge line that has slower top speeds. "We're ahead of schedule," Kenya Railways managing director Atanas Maina said in Nairobi. "There's government commitment, there's been a lot of push for land acquisition, there's been very heavy mobilisation, and the funding has gone very well." Kenya had aimed to complete 40 per cent of civil works, ranging from laying track to fixing bridges, by the end of 2015. It is now on track to complete half the work by year end. Maina said he hoped to have a private management company in place by mid-2016. A transaction adviser will be in place by the end of September to help select a private management firm for the line, Maina said, adding selection would be done by mid-2016. "The intention is that operations will be taken over by a seasoned, third-party private operator," he said. When the project was initially envisaged, the opening date was expected to be in 2018, but since then the government has given the plan a higher priority. Maina also said he hoped to begin secure...

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has set the stage for a fresh fight with the national government and Kenya Ports Authority after he announced new levies on shipping containers that will earn the county nearly Sh60 billion. The raft of charges are contained in the Finance Bill covering the financial year to June 2016. The county reckons that the new charges will help grow its coffers with the revenue used to repair infrastructure. For instance, ships will be required to pay a permit fee of $20 per tonne of exports and $20 per tonne to clear imports. The permit and import clearance fees alone stand to earn Mombasa more than Sh52 billion based on the 24.8 million tonnes that went through the port, a major trade gateway to East Africa. The central government in Nairobi had opposed the new levies proposed by the county, warning that they could undermine recent reforms to speed up the clearance of goods through the port. Importers said the extra levies would offer an advantage to a rival port in the neighbouring Tanzania, which is expanding its facilities in a multi-billion shilling plan. Mombasa Land executive Francis Thoya said the county is negotiating with KPA over the new levies despite the port managers denying any such talks. “It should be noted that the port is in Mombasa, therefore, the county deserves to charge some taxes to get revenue in order to provide better services to the public,” Mr Thoya said. “We intend to introduce the...

Mistrust has emerged among the East African Community partner states over Tanzania's commitment to the Economic Partnership Agreement that would give the region's goods duty-free access to European markets. Tanzania is likely to delay the signing and ratification of the EPA document on the grounds that it was rushed through. Dar es Salaam has threatened not to sign the deal before its concerns on contentious issues are addressed. The region has until December 31 to sign the deal with the European Union or go back to the negotiating table. Initial document A source at the EAC Secretariat, who is privy to the matter, said Tanzania was forced to sign the initial document on the eve of October 14 after the EU threatened to withdraw its funding for agriculture under the European Development Fund (EDF). "At the time when Tanzania had refused to sign the initial document, discussions on when to release the EDF funds to member countries were ongoing in Italy. So Tanzania was given an option of either signing or forgoing the EDF funds. The same night they agreed to sign the EPA document," said the official. Source: The East African

Mombasa port has registered a new record performance by a container ship, handling 852 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in less than eight hours. The record shift performance by Evergreen Shipping Line vessel MV Cape Maas shatters that of 755 moves set recently by the largest-ever container vessel to call at the port, MV Clemens Schulte, which also worked with three ship-to-shore gantry cranes to record 3,397 cumulative moves in 48.91 hours. Kenya Ports Authority managing director Gichiri Ndua said the vessel posted her best performance on the third shift using three ship-to-shore gantry cranes, where she registered 116 berth moves per hour. The Colombian-registered ship has a total capacity of 2,800 TEUs, a gross tonnage of 35,708 and a declared draft of 12.5 metres. She regularly calls at the port of Mombasa monthly flying a Marshal Islands flag. Amr Mostafa, the operations manager of the MV Cape Maas shipping agent, said the shipping line had enhanced its operations since January and was looking forward to becoming the best caller at the port of Mombasa. Source: Media max

Since East Africa’s single tourist visa was launched in February last year, 4,000 visas have been issued. This is a month-on-month improvement from an average of 156 visas sold in the 10 months to December last year, to 305 this year. With the visa, foreigners can visit attractions in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda on paying a fee of $100 (Sh10,600); Tanzania and Burundi are not party to the deal. Chief tourism officer of Rwanda Development Board said this illustrates that easing the visa process can significantly increase the uptake of the region’s tourism products. “Kenya and Uganda had to revise their visa fees in favour of the harmonised visa charges. It takes political will for that to happen and it’s good that our three leaders are committed to the process,” she said. Carmen Nibigira, the regional co-ordinator for the East Africa Tourism Platform, added: “We tour over a dozen countries in Europe using the Schengen visa. There is no reason East Africa should have restrictions when visiting all five countries.” Kenya Association of Hotel Owners and Caterers CEO Mike Macharia called on regional airlines to lower fares to enable more passengers take advantage of the new visa regime. Since East Africa’s single tourist visa was launched in February last year, 4,000 visas have been issued. This is a month-on-month improvement from an average of 156 visas sold in the 10 months to December last year, to 305 this year. With the visa, foreigners can visit attractions in Kenya, Uganda and...

The World Bank has released over Sh54 billion to fund the laying of fibre optic cable and construction of a superhighway connecting Kenya and South Sudan. The project, which runs concurrently in the two countries, was commissioned Wednesday following the release of the funds. The fibre optic cable will be placed along the Lokichar - Nedapal road as the road is constructed. South Sudan’s ICT minister Rebecca Joshua Okwaci and her Kenyan counterpart Fred Matiang’i signed a memorandum of understanding in January, making way for commissioning of the project. “The entire project is set to be complete in two years’ time, today we are implementing the road and information superhighway that form the most effective way of accelerating development,” said Robert Mugo, Director, Shared Services at the ICT Authority. Mr Mugo was speaking at the project commissioning event organised by the Ministry of Roads and infrastructure in Lodwar town. The ICT Authority is implementing the Kenyan-side of the fibre optic project through a World Bank fund estimated at Sh2.6 billion. The South Sudan section will cost Sh1.5 billion. Kenya and South Sudan are working on the project as part of the Eastern Africa Regional Transport, Trade and Development Facilitation Project. The fibre and road project is critical to enhance trade between the country and her landlocked northern neighbour.  Kenya’s exports to South Sudan make 25 per cent of South Sudan’s total imports. The volume of Kenyan goods exported to South Sudan has been on the rise. In 2013 for instance,...

The World Bank is short of Sh14.2 trillion for continued support of Africa’s infrastructure projects and emergencies. The World Bank Vice-President for Development Finance Joachim Von Amsberg asked for the support of members of the African Caucus (African Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund) to raise funds to replenish the International Development Association (IDA). "We have a large portfolio, a series of projects in preparation that will drive private investment. These are projects for which there is great demand and we are seeking to mobilise possible resources,” said the World Bank VP in a statement. Kenya in the East African region and Nigeria in West Africa have some major infrastructure projects that require a lot of funds. The countries largely rely on World Bank for funding. EBOLA Kenya’s road network urgently needs improvement. The country is considered among the World’s fastest growing economies. It has earmarked Sh5.5 trillion for infrastructure development. The donor blamed Ebola outbreak, floods in Malawi and the earthquake in Nepal as well, for depletion of a three year fund that got exhausted in the first year. RAED: World Bank releases Sh54bn for Kenya-S. Sudan road The funds meant to replenish accounts of World Bank, officially referred to as Official Development Assistance (ODA) are usually capped at Sh5.5 trillion. However, World Bank has stretched its request quoting the emergencies that still need attendance. According to Mr Amsberg, the funds help by maximising impact on development, leveraging public and private resources, in addition...