BRITAIN has assured the East African Community (EAC) that it will continue supporting and cooperating with the regional grouping despite its withdrawal from the European Union (EU) and the European Atomic Energy Community. Newly appointed British High Commissioner to Tanzania and the EAC Mr David Concar told EAC Secretary General, Liberat Mfumukeko that his appointment was an expression of the British government’s faith in the EAC Integration Project. He lauded the bloc for creating a sense of mutual confidence and stability among members states of the East African region. The good news comes as some EAC partner states like Burundi and Tanzania had peaceful elections while Uganda is also heading for the same. Britain is edging near Brexit from the European Union (EU) later this year. Mr Concar commended the EAC Secretariat for the good work that has led to the attainment of several achievements and promised his country’s commitment to continue supporting the integration process. The British envoy believes the bloc has an important role to play in promoting economic development and lifting East Africans out of poverty. Ambassador Mfumukeko hailed the strong relations existing between the EAC and Britain and commended the latter’s support to the EAC integration process. He shared the progress made by the EAC in the four pillars of integration; namely the Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union and Political Federation. He added that the EAC had made great strides in the four pillars due to the political goodwill of its leaders and the support...

The government of Kenya and Trade Mark East Africa (TMA) have signed a KSh1.31 billion grant agreement to support infrastructure projects in Mombasa, Busia, and Malaba. The move is aimed at facilitating trade and unlocking the economic growth of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The grant will facilitate construction of the following: Dualling of the Magongo Road (KSh200 million) Dualling of the 2 kilometres carriageway to Busia One Stop Border Post (KSh300 million) Construction of the Busia Cross Border ‘Jumuiya Market’ (KSh485 million) Completion of outstanding and additional construction works on the Malaba One Stop Border Post, including completion of road works, bridge approaches, improvement of the administrative building, and provision of utilities and services (KSh325 million) The envisioned Busia Jumuiya Cross Border Market will occupy 40 acres of land, with its full completion costing KSh2 billion for 3 phases, i.e., a retail section, a wholesale section, and a business hub. Out of this, TMA in partnership with the Ministry of East Africa Affairs will start phase 1 (the retail section), estimated to cost approximately KSh559.3 million. TMA will contribute KSh485.3 million, with funding from the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and DANIDA and GoK contributing an additional KSh74.3 million. In the long run, these projects will create efficient borders that will facilitate international trade, investment, economic growth, promotion of economic competitiveness, and improved relations between countries. Read original source

In Summary The facility was planned to have been commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in November last year. Rival projects between Uganda and Tanzania, including the $3.5 billion (Sh381 billion)Uganda–Tanzania Crude Oil Pipeline (UTCOP), are among those that have left Kenya in the cold. Lack of political goodwill and rival regional projects are proving to be a headache for Kenya's ambitions to commission and fully operate the Kisumu Port, shippers have noted. Refurbishment of the facility at a cost of Sh700 million was completed in September last year, but its commissioning is yet to take place one year later, with the government shifting dates for its launch. The facility was planned to have been commissioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in November last year. It was later pushed to January this year, an event the government has gone mum on to date, despite the President making several visits to the Lakeside city. In August, President Uhuru Kenyatta made a low key visit to Kisumu where he made an impromptu tour of the port, which took about 40 minutes. His most recent visit is last week when he landed at the facility during his tour of the region, with residents hoping he would address the delayed commissioning of the port which is expected to open up regional trade and create employment. Rival projects between Uganda and Tanzania, including the $3.5 billion (Sh381 billion)Uganda–Tanzania Crude Oil Pipeline (UTCOP), are among those that have left Kenya in the cold, according to shippers. The Shippers...

Thirty-six Kenyan vegetable and fruit companies sold Sh235.22 million worth of produce at this year’s Macfrut Digital Trade Fair in Rimini, Italy. The three-day event, which was in collaboration with the International Trade Centre, was postponed in May amid disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. The virtual exhibition saw exhibitors showcase products as well as attend business-to -business meetings with the world’s leading exporters, importers, technicians, experts and investors in value addition. “We are happy that even Covid-19 did not stop our Kenyan exporters from interacting with the world on the streets of Rimini and making sales. We will continue following up the exhibitors and update the confirmed orders and delivery for the next 12 months,” said the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency’s chief executive Wilfred Marube. Mr Marube said the agency will strengthen its technological infrastructure to diversify export promotion initiatives. “Going forward, we are creating an exporters portal for online engagement, meetings and exhibitions. This one will be a game-changer in promoting our exports since it will ensure that we are not limited by physical distance, space or even funds to contribute to the growth of exports. It will provide limitless and borderless opportunities,” he added. This comes at a time when statistics shows that horticulture earnings rose to Sh81 billion in the first half of the year from Sh76 billion in the same period last year, amid interruptions caused by the pandemic in the second quarter. This was boosted by higher demand for fruits and...

Regional trade has hit a snub as a result of the COVID-19 greatly affecting border communities and traders. But could there be a compromise to enable an accelerated bounce back? CNBC Africa’s Arnold Kwizera spoke to Trademark East Africa Country Director, Patience Mutesi Gatera for more. Read original article

The East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP), the top private sector body for tourism in the region on Tuesday, October 20, advocated for harmonized reopening protocols in partner states. This is to allow east Africans and international tourists to take advantage of attractions in the region and discover the hidden treasures. The call was made during a press conference in Kigali, shortly after handing over of the baton between the Kenya Tourism Federation as outgoing host of the EATP secretariat and the Rwanda Chamber of Tourism, the incoming host of the secretariat. Fred Odek is the incoming chairperson, noted that it is important to have harmonised protocols including health or safety measures now in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Odek said: "If Rwanda is testing two times, for example, and Kenya more, why can’t we have this harmonised? The same goes for isolation." "We are looking at ways to harmonise protocols; without having harsh conditions, work out a way to ease travel in East Africa, because easing travel is easing doing business." The platform is encouraging east Africans to travel within their countries and the region. According to Susan Ongalo, CEO at Kenya Tourism Federation, they are looking more at "regional domestic tourism" where people travel using national IDs. She said: "As we hand over to the Rwanda Tourism Chamber we hope and are confident that EATP is growing farther." Odek stressed that there is a need to unlock the challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic to tourism to enable...

GULU -  President Yoweri Museveni commissioned rehabilitation works for the Tororo-Gulu Railway line and the construction of the Gulu logistics Hub in Gulu City on Saturday. Speaking shortly after the ground-breaking ceremony, the President said that the collapse of Uganda railway network in the country like other sectors of government, including the army, was as a result of bad policies of the past regimes adopted from the colonial system. "Once a pillar of the State like the army is built based on ideology, streamlined policy and in a clever way, sectarianism tendencies are eliminated and destroyed," he said. Some of the guests who showed up for the ceremony The President said that the train, which last reached its terminal in northern Uganda in August 1986, will be revived in a more concrete way because Government considers it as a major infrastructure priority. "Railway transport is cheaper than road transport. For example, the cost of transporting a 40 feet container of goods from Mombasa Port to Kampala is US$3600 (sh13.4m) compared to railway transportation, which is US$1800 (sh6.7m). "It will be even much faster and cheaper once the Standard Gauge Railway is constructed," said Museveni. Museveni unveiling the plaque during the groundbreaking ceremony The works and transport ministry, in partnership with the finance ministry and Uganda Railways Corporation, with support from the European Union (EU), is implementing a project for the rehabilitation of the 375km Tororo-Gulu metre gauge railway line. The project is part of a bigger programme, the Development Initiative...

GULU — President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday October 24 participated in the ground-breaking of two flagship projects; construction of the Gulu Logistics Hub, and rehabilitation of the Tororo-Gulu railway. Other dignitaries that attended this event included Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah, Cabinet Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, and European Union (EU) Ambassador to Uganda, Attilio Pacifici among others. With support from European Union (EU) and the UK`s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), TradeMark Africa together with Ministry of Works and Transport and Uganda Railways Cooperation commenced construction in March 2020 of Euros 7.76M (about UGX 33 billion) Trade Logistics Hub in Gulu, a move expected to stimulate trade in the region. The project is expected to be completed within eighteen months. Already, 25 percent of the construction has been completed. The Gulu Logistics Hub is expected to contribute to reduced barriers to trade for both Northern Uganda and the neighbouring countries of South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Gulu Logistics Hub (GLH) will serve the trade corridors of Kampala – Gulu – Elegu/Nimule – Juba Trade Corridor; and Gulu – Pakwach Goli/Pader/Lira/Vurra DRC Trade Corridor. The hub will be able to handle more than 500,000 containers at a time. The logistics hub is located on a 24.1 acres piece of land in Layibi division, Gulu Municipality and was allocated by the Uganda Railways Corporation. The hub is located adjacent to the current Gulu railway station and connects to the main roads to South...

James Duddridge's visit shows how Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office brings together development and diplomacy to act as a force for good in the world. The UK Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, travelled to Malawi and Zambia this week (5 to 9 October) where he built on UK partnerships across Southern Africa to promote, support and reinforce our shared national interests – with a focus on boosting regional trade links and tackling the health and economic impacts of COVID-19. He visited businesses in the 2 countries – including Zazu, a British-backed financial services start-up in Lusaka and 14Trees, a CDC investment in Lilongwe producing environmentally sustainable bricks. In Zambia, the Minister announced UK funding to help small-and-medium-sized (SME) firms to access investment, innovate and improve productivity. This support will help create 50,000 jobs and facilitate over £100m of private sector investment into high-potential Zambian businesses. James Duddridge meeting His Excellency Lazarus Chakwera, President of Malawi. In Malawi, a major focus of discussions with the President, Vice President and Finance Minister was how to drive growth through improving the investment climate and reforming state-owned enterprises, building on the foundations of the UK-Africa Investment Summit in January. He also met with the Zambian Minister for Finance and trade bodies to discuss a new UK-backed partnership between the Government of Zambia and Trademark East Africa (TMA). The support will help improve trade flows at one of Southern Africa’s busiest borders – the Nakonde border post between Zambia and Tanzania, through which 135,000 trucks...

TradeMark Africa (TMA) has donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) that will be used by frontline workers to improve safety against the New Coronavirus for border staff and persons crossing through Rwandan borders. The donation worth over $200,000 was handed over by Patience Mutesi the TMA-Rwanda Country Director and received by Michel Minega Sebera, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry on behalf of the Rwanda government. The consignment contains high quality (N95) single and reusable face masks, plastic face shields, hand sanitizers and liquid soaps, disinfectant sprays, disposable gloves, thermal guns and fabricated washing points that will be dispatched to four borders- Sebera said the support will be an added value to Rwanda’s campaign against the New Coronavirus spread through open borders but also maintain the movement of persons and goods which are highly needed in maintaining cross border trade activities under the Covid19 pandemic in East Africa. “Equally important as we fight the pandemic is the need to sustain our economies and seek to recover the lost ground. The PPE provided by Trade Mark East Africa is very crucial in ensuring safe trade continues in and out of our borders” Sebera said. TMA Rwanda Country Director, Mutesi also said that the equipment is part of the TMA Safe Trade Emergency Facility and will be distributed in partnership with the World Food Program (WFP) which has a well-developed logistic mechanism and reach. Since 2010, TMA has driven trade prosperity in East Africa with construction of 13 border...