Regional business lobby TradeMark Africa has picked new board of directors and appointed former World Trade Organisation director Pascal Lamy as special advisor. The 11 member board will be chaired by Tanzania’s Ali Mufuruki. Others members are Kenya’s Patricia Ithau, Earl Gast and Matt Reitz of USA, Rwandese Rosette Chantal Rugamba, Jaqueline Lutaya of Uganda, Patrick Obath and Anthony Masozera from Burundi. The team was picked from more than 500 applicants from East Africa. TMA previously operated with a statutory board provided mostly by service organisations. The new team incorporates members from the EAC region and is expected to give unbiased feedback on performance of TMA to management. Source: The Star

KENYA: The city of Mombasa, the gateway to East Africa, is for a good reason taken as the starting point of transport logistics along the Northern Economic Transport Corridor that leads to the landlocked trade partners of Kenya; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Thus, Mombasa plays a pivotal role in economic development across the East and Central African region. To boost this role, the Government has prioritised the development of key infrastructure in a bid to spur regional economic activity. Traffic congestion is one of the key non-monetary trade barriers affecting business. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) is one of the key partners in ensuring successful and lucrative economic integration between Kenya and her neighbouring countries. Kenha is in the process of implementing several key projects, both in Mombasa and along the Northern Corridor. Among them is Port Reitz and Moi International Airport access road, jointly financed by the Government of Kenya and Trademark East Africa. Then there is the dualling of the Mombasa-Mariakani highway. KeNHA will erect two new weighbridge stations on each side of the road at Mariakani and put up dedicated lanes for trucks approaching the weighbridge, thus eliminating the traffic snarl-ups sometimes associated with the weighbridge. Other projects funded by the World Bank Group include the rehabilitation of Bachuma Gate and Maji ya Chumvi along the Mombasa–Nairobi highway. Other planned projects include the Mombasa Northern Bypass, which will run from Miritini to Mtwapa. Also, KeNHA is executing a massive project that will change the...

That Mombasa is the gateway to East Africa has never been in doubt. It is an often-stated fact that the City of Mombasa is the starting point of transport logistics along the Northern Economic Transport Corridor that leads to the landlocked yet strategic trade partners of Kenya viz Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Thus, the coastal city plays a pivotal role in trade partnerships, syndication and development across the East and Central African countries. To achieve this, the government has prioritised development of key infrastructure in a bid to spur regional economic activity. This is because traffic congestion is one of the key non-monetary trade barriers affecting business in the region. The Kenya National Highways Authority is one of the key partners in ensuring successful and lucrative economic integration between Kenya and her neighbouring countries. Towards this end, the authority is in the process of implementing several key projects, both in Mombasa and along the Northern Corridor. Among them is the Port Reitz and Moi International Airport access road, jointly financed by the government and Trademark East Africa. Then there is the dualling of Mombasa-Mariakani highway implemented in two phases. Phase one, from Mombasa to Jomvu, jointly funded by the government and African Development Bank. Kenha has also purposed to erect two new weighbridge stations on each side of the road at Mariakani and dedicated lanes for trucks approaching the weighbridge, thus eliminating the traffic snarl-ups sometimes associated with the weighbridge. The World Bank funds this project. Rehabilitation of...

African countries have been urged to increase trade among themselves in order to ensure the continent grows into a notable economy, Nigerian High Commissioner to Kenya Akin Oyateru has said. The diplomat said there is much potential on the continent and the 10 per cent target that has been achieved so far, can be taken further if various States forge a common trade bond. “For Africa to survive, it needs to have more intra-trade and this should be encouraged between nations as Europe and Asia can comfortably survive through their trade,” he said. Mr Oyateru said Europe is doing 60 per cent while Asia is at 50 per cent of trade with themselves. This, he said, Africa needs to adopt. He said improved intra-trade would enable farmers to get more value for their products once they are exported within the continent. Mr Oyateru spoke during a courtesy call on Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka last week where he urged presidents to reach for a common business pact. Source: Daily Nation

The expansion of the Port of Mombasa is facing headwinds after Japan, the main financier, raised concerns over delays on part of Government in processing a loan agreement entered in March this year. Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), which coordinates official development assistance, also fears the Government plans to disregard an agreement on the construction of phase two of the project. Jica protested over the slow pace of the Government in committing on the project for phase two, which involves the construction of Berth 22. In a letter dated August 7 2015 to the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, senior representative of Jica Koji Noda expressed concerns over delays towards processing a loan agreement signed on March 9, 2015. “Jica is deeply concerned about the slow pace towards loan agreement effectuation whose dates are given as within 120 days from the signing date. The loan agreement was signed on March 9, 2015,” Noda said in the letter copied to National Treasury Principal Secretary Dr Kamau Thugge and Kenya Ports Authority Managing Director Gichiri Ndua. Jica said despite extending the deadline after the expiry of 120 days stipulated on the loan agreement, Kenya has still not heeded. The extension is coming to an end early October this year. “There are still a lot of steps to go before the deadline hence we are afraid that the current slow pace of processing the matter by the ministry will negatively impact the project,” reads the letter. “We request for a meeting...

NAIROBI, Kenya - In November participants from the East African Community (EAC) public and private sector are to meet in Nairobi to brainstorm infrastruture development writes JOSEPH BURITE. The Project East Africa Summit is being hosted by the Kenya Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. Organisers say several major investment opportunities and infrastructure projects in the East African region will be highlighted at summit. It is being touted as a leading platform for local and international investors to showcase opportunities available in the region and will take place on November 3 and 4, at the InterContinental Hotel, Nairobi. ‘Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda have joined forces to present their major projects and promote infrastructural development at the event,’ reads a statement in part. According to the statement, the Summit brings together six major governments from the East Africa region together with all the major private sector industry leaders to provide detailed insight into commercial opportunities available and is the best possible platform to meet potential business partners. The East Africa Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (EACCIA) is co-hosting the talks. The event’s task force set up by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure will ensure that all the government’s major projects are well-represented with the exact purpose of meeting companies and investors who are interested in all the region has to offer. EACCIA is an organization which was established and owned by the three national chambers, namely, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Uganda...

What’s a trillion dollars? It’s a thousand billion and in writing, it is one, followed by 12 zeros; by rough estimates, a trillion dollars can fill five large master bedrooms, stacked in $100 bills of $10,000 bundles; that’s the amount lost annually to fraud and corruption globally. A huge percentage of those trillion dollars are lost in the long and technically jargonized chain of procurement and supply by public and private entities as money exchanges hands between procurement managers and tender applicants in bribes and kickbacks for huge contracts. The trillion dollar anecdote is a favourite of André Coetzee, Managing Director of Chartered Institute for Procurement and Supply (CIPS), Southern Africa region and he used it to start his 46-slide presentation at the recent East African procurement forum. CIPS is the world’s largest procurement and supply institute with a membership of over 65,000 entities that operate in over 150 countries; its courses are also accredited in over 40 universities. Rwanda has about 50 CIPS members; Kenya and Uganda have 2,055 and 1,015 members, respectively while Tanzania has 205 CIPS members and only two for Burundi. On Wednesday in Nairobi, Coetzee used the trillion dollar anecdote again, not in a long PPT presentation but at a brief award ceremony where he crowned Trade Mark East Africa (TMA) with the prestigious CIPS Corporate Certification for excellent procurement standards. The CIPS corporate certification is an internationally acclaimed recognition for organisations that have a proven and excellent procurement system and TMA, which has only...

TradeEMark East Africa (TMA) has won the world's most prestigious corporate procurement certification from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), making it the first organisation in the region to clinch the award. Speaking at a brief awarding ceremony, the TMA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Frank Matsaert, said the institution was proud to win the award as it speaks loudly of their dedication to maintain the highest standards in procurement amidst some challenges. "We at TMA are very proud to receive the certification. It acknowledges our efforts to maintain the standards and principles of transparency and good governance in procurement," he said at the function also attended by the Vice Chairman of TMA's Board of Directors, Mr Tim Lamont and CIPS Managing Director, Mr Andre Coetzee. Mr Matsaert said the award served as another proof that TMA was adhering to the highest standards in procurement and was maintaining the principles of probity, transparency, consistence and fairness as a benchmark of good management. "We are trying to be change makers. We help to enhance growth and prosperity to our partners. That is what we do and we're very passionate about that," he said. TMA had always strived to achieve top excellence in procurement and make both efficient and effective to provide the real value for money. "This shows the region and to our stakeholders and partners that that we are serious in doing the right thing and we do it well." The CIPS Managing Director, Mr Andre Coetzee, said although...

(MENAFN Press) TradeMark Africa (TMA) today announced the appointment a new Board of Directors. This follows successful completion of a rigorous appointment process of highly-experienced East African nationals. Chaired by Tanzanian entrepreneur Ali Mufuruki, the new Board comprises leading business and civil society professionals in East Africa. Former World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Pascal Lamy joins the Board as Special Advisor. In 2013, TMA embarked on a process of developing its governance arrangements. TMA's investors assume a shareholder role with a day to day oversight of the organisation undertaken by the independent Board. The appointment of the Board members is a strong endorsement of TMA as an inclusive and results driven organisation whose key mandate is to increase prosperity in East Africa. TMA funding has grown to a US700m budget since its inception in 2010 with presence in all EAC Partner States and South Sudan. "I am proud to welcome such an experienced pool of industry professionals to the board of TradeMark Africa," said Ali Mufuruki, Board Chairman of TMA. "We conducted an exhaustive search for individuals who have proven track records in their respective professions, and are delighted to have identified such outstanding individuals. These board members who comprise professionals from both government, donor institutions and the private sector, bring extensive international and regional expertise in the development sector, executive management and the donor community to TMA." TMA Chief Executive Officer Frank Matsaert, concurred, "We are delighted to welcome the new board members. The board's composition is a...

JOHANNESBURG/DAKAR — A fresh US trade pact could provide relief to African economies buffeted by the commodities slump, but a failure to reform during the boom years has left many countries unable to profit from tariff-free access to the world’s largest market. In an effort to boost trade under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), renewed by Congress for a decade in June, representatives from 39 African countries will hold talks with US officials in oil-rich Gabon this week. Under the deal, first signed in 2000, African exports to the US rose to $26.8bn by 2013, but more than four-fifths of that was oil. With US demand for petroleum imports falling due to its shale revolution and commodities prices across the board hit by China’s slowdown, the blow to African economies has highlighted their failure to industrialise. The World Bank forecasts gross domestic product (GDP) growth in sub-Saharan Africa will slow this year to 4.2%, down from an average of 6.4% during 2002 to 2008. Despite a decade of rapid growth, sub-Saharan Africa’s manufacturing sector remained weak. While exports from the region more than quadrupled to $457bn in the decade to 2011, manufactured goods made up just $58bn of that. US officials say that, even with tariff-free access, a range of problems is holding back African exports, from poor transport links to costly electricity, lack of bank credit, corruption and labyrinthine bureaucracy. "When you look at a container of coffee or textiles coming out of Africa, it is substantially...