Rwanda on Monday inaugurated a new modern inland cargo handling port that offers real-time cargo tracking services to customers. Dubbed Kigali Logistics Platform, the facility located in Kicukiro district in Rwandan capital Kigali, was constructed and will be managed by an Arab port operator Dubai Ports World group, according to a 25-year concession agreement signed with the government in 2016. The facility, which has been operational since September 2018 in test mode, has a capacity of handling 50,000 containers, Dubai Ports World Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin said, speaking at the launch. "When operating at full capacity, it has the potential to save Rwandan businesses up to $50 million a year in logistics costs," he said. "Since the commencement of its operations, Kigali logistics platform has reduced truck-turnaround time from an average of 10-14 days to just 3 days". The cargo terminal is monitored by 24-hour CCTV with customers able to access real-time tracking through mobile and online portals, officials said. They explained that operational time is reduced via articulated forklifts and modern narrow aisle racking system in warehouses, said to be a first for Rwanda and only the second of its kind in Africa. According to the group's CEO, the facility serves as a gateway to the heart of Africa, connecting Rwanda to neighboring countries including Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. The facility will also access the port of Mombasa in Kenya and Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, securing two trade gateways to the...

The African continent cannot continue to rely on foreign aid to finance its transformation, President Paul Kagame has said. Kagame was speaking in Abidjan at the 8th CGECI (Confédération Générale des Entreprises de Côte d'Ivoire) Academy, the largest annual gathering of Private Sector in the West African country. The summit brings together the private sector of the West African countries and covers topics such as avenues to grow competitiveness, relevance and growth among other topics. "We have to reach a point where our countries have the capacity to finance our own transformation. Development aid has been useful and it continues to be useful, especially when we work to get the most impact out of every cent that we receive. But the point has never been to remain dependent forever when we have always had the potential to be wealthy ourselves," Kagame said during the keynote address. Rather than continuously look to other countries for aid, Kagame said that there are more productive ways for Africa to partner with various countries and regions for mutual benefit. This year's conference is themed around creating a conducive business climate. To create a more conducive business climate, Kagame said deliberation among public and private sector from various countries are crucial to share connections and experiences. "One way to advance this cause, is through forums like this one. Coming together here, we make useful connections, share experiences, and learn from each other. The starting point is ensuring that relevant actors in both the public and...

Earlier this year, Rwanda said it was opening new missions to Ghana, Morocco, and Qatar. As a result the government appointed new envoys to represent Rwanda to the new missions who have already assumed their responsibilities. The envoys to new diplomatic postings include Sheikh Saleh Habimana who will represent Rwanda to the Kingdom of Morocco, Dr Aisa Kirabo Kacyira to Ghana and François Nkulikiyimfura to Qatar. But what are Rwanda’s strategic interests in these countries? The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of the East African Community, Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe, said the opening of new missions was part of the country’s target to have more bilateral relations with different countries. “We want to strengthen our bilateral cooperation with different countries and, of course, Ghana is a strong country in West Africa. It is important that we have an embassy there and explore business opportunities,” he said. The mission to Ghana is particularly as a result of a pledge by President Paul Kagame during his different meetings with his Ghanaian counterpart Nana Akufo-Addo, the Minister said. The two have met on different occasions. Under the National Strategy for Transformation, which runs till 2024, Rwanda sees economic diplomacy as one of the strategies drive up Foreign Direct Investments. Therefore, opening up new embassies is part of the tactic to achieve this ambition. Policymakers in Rwanda see Morocco, which has signed various agreements with Rwanda, a strategic country in North Africa and the whole region. This year alone, the two countries signed 12 agreements in...

As opportunities to showcase Rwandan products in the Chinese market through various exhibitions are increasing, the products have continued to draw attention in the Asian market. Rwandan products that are common here include coffee, chili, tea and handicrafts. The popularity of the products has been witnessed during various shows such as the recent concluded China International Food & Catering Expo held last month in Changsha city, Hunan Province, and the 2019 Beijing International Horticulture Exhibition. Since the beginning of the year, Rwandan companies have been invited to participate in various exhibitions as part of the People’s Republic of China’s measures to actively open the Chinese market to the world. Recently, the world’s most populous nation and second largest economy marked the 70th anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China. Ahead of the celebration, the country showcased the progress made in various sectors towards economic growth and cooperation with other countries worldwide for common future. Chinese economy is shifting towards demand for high quality and featured commodities and service. Since 2019, Rwanda has been participating in various exhibitions in China such as Guangzhou International Travel Fair which has enabled Rwandan companies to promote tourism products and Made-in-Rwanda products. In April, nine Rwandan companies participated in the six months Beijing International Horticulture Exhibition. The event was said to attract 9.34 million visitors. Local products have been showcased and the event was said to be impactful in extending the reach of Rwandan products worldwide. In June, China continued to host...

Duplicate standards and regulations across different state agencies are stifling businesses and investments in the country, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has warned. The UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development yesterday called for harmonization of standards and regulations, both in the private sector and government, to ensure the cost of doing business remains low. According to UNIDO, the private sector has for long suffered from regulations and standards that are similar across the ’numerous’ state agencies, where costs such as licensing and inspection fees are payable. This has continued to ‘punish’ business and the private sector at large, the agency notes. “Government needs to have regulations and standards that address the real problem not just over regulating, it needs to address only the problem, we don’t want laws to become roadblocks we want laws that are facilitative,” said Andrew Edewa, UNIDO standards expert. He spoke during the World Standards Day(2019) celebrations in Nairobi, an event snubbed by the Industry, Trade and Cooperatives CS Peter Munya and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) managing director Bernard Njiraini. According to the UN, there are laws in the health department, trade, industry among other state organs that are duplicated, adding pressure to the private sector. These add to business to business standards which all put together, they are stifling businesses. “The government is speaking tough on their end , private sector has its own business to business standards, the marrying of these two seems to be a problem and it is affecting...

The value of Kenya’s exports to key East African Community’s markets hit a three-year high in first eight months of 2019, official data shows, partly helped by Nairobi’s efforts to ease trade tensions with Tanzania. Earnings from goods sold to Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda stood at Sh77.32 billion in the January-August period, fresh data from the Central Bank of Kenya indicates, a 5.98 percent growth over Sh72.99 billion in similar period in 2018. Kenyan factories have in recent years struggled to grow exports in regional markets largely due to tariff and non-tariff barriers fuelled by mistrust and unresolved trade disputes, particularly with Tanzania and, in some isolated cases, Uganda. Manufacturers have also blamed multiple fees and levies, relatively high power charges and inefficiencies at factories for piling up the cost of production, making locally-made goods expensive in regional markets. Ministries of Trade and EAC Affairs have been reaching out to their counterparts in Tanzania and Uganda with a view to finding a long-lasting solution to on-and-off disputes that usually hit Kenyan products such as confectionery and cement. “The Kenyan team has done a very commendable job in working with the EAC secretariat in bringing both tariff and non-tariff barriers down, and we are also seeing very concerted efforts also on the part of Tanzania to bring these barriers down,” said Sachen Gudka, the chairman of Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM). Source: Daily News

The intra-Global Climate Alliance Plus (GCCA+) Programme on supporting Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Actions in the East African Community has been launched at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The European Union (EU) is providing funding to the tune of 1.6 million Euros for the four-year project which commenced in July 2019 and runs up to June 2023. The project which was launched by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the EU will, among other things: support EAC Partner States in addressing different climate change challenges; reviewing and updating their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the effective implementation, and; developing community based climate change initiatives that will have tangible impacts on local communities. In his opening remarks, the Chairperson of the Meeting, Eng. John B. Kizito, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rwanda thanked the EU for its support in enhancing the capacity of the EAC region on climate change, strengthening the implementation of climate change actions, the Paris Agreement and regional capacity to access climate change funding. Eng. Kizito cited some of the challenges posed by climate change in the region and echoed the need to take concerted measures in strengthening resilience while adopting low carbon and sustainable development pathways. The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, who represented the Secretary General, reiterated the EAC’s commitment to mitigate the impacts of climate change, adding that the Community had developed EAC Climate Change Master Plan (2011-2031),...

The East African Community (EAC) member states on Thursday pledged to enhance cooperation in order to curb tax revenue losses. Patrick Mukiibi, commissioner of tax investigations department, Uganda Revenue Authority told Xinhua in Nairobi that the exchange of information in the economic bloc is critical to boosting domestic resource mobilization. “The overall aim of joint investigations is to boost the tax compliance rate which has a positive effect on tax authority revenues,” Mukiibi said during the East Africa regional meeting for commissioners of investigation and enforcement. The meeting brought together tax investigation commissioners from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to discuss ways of detecting and combating tax evasion and tax crimes in the region. Mukiibi said that enhanced collaboration is necessitated because companies in the region have set up subsidiaries in other partner states. “It is also important to work together in order to learn lessons from each other given that different countries have developed different capacities and competencies,” he added. According to the Ugandan tax official, optimum regional cooperation will require that some national laws be amended in order to ensure a harmonized domestic tax regime. David Yego, commissioner of tax investigations and enforcement at Kenya Revenue Authority said that sharing of intelligence across the trading bloc will ensure that tax fraud and evasion that is committed across borders are detected and those found culpable are prosecuted. Source: CGTN Africa

The Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa) has launched two projects aimed at formalising cross-border trade among small scale businesses. The move is expected to enhance Malawi’s exports under the block. This follows the inaugural meeting of the projects steering committee which began on Monday in Lusaka, Zambia. The first project is a €15 million Regional Small-Scale Cross Border Trade Initiative (SSCBTI) while the second is a €53 million Trade Facilitation Project, both funded by the European Union (EU) under the 11th EU Development Fund. The Trade Facilitation Programme aims at increasing intra-regional trade flows of goods, persons and services by reducing the costs and delays of imports and exports at specific border posts. It is expected that this will be addressed through reduction of non-tariff barriers, implementation of digital Free Trade Area, World Trade Organisation Trade Facilitation Agreement, improvements of the Coordinated Border Management and liberalisation of Trade in Services and free movement of persons. A statement from Comesa says implementation of the two projects is expected to contribute to higher revenue collection for governments at the borders, increased security and improved incomes for traders. “The SSCBT initiative is designed to address challenges facing small scale traders which include high transactions costs arising from delays at the border, high taxes and high transport costs; corruption and harassment among others,” reads the statement in part. Spokesperson in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Mayeso Msokera, said the development is expected to boost government’s revenue and trade for...

A proposal to amend the East African Community (EAC) Customs Management Act, 2014, to extend the time for removal of bulk containerized goods from the ports of discharge, is in the offing, in a move likely to reduce the cost of doing business in the region. In the regard, the Assembly has granted EALA legislator Abdikadir Omar Aden, leave to introduce a Bill to amend section 34 (5) of the existing Customs Management Act, 2014, to realise the above objective. With it, the Assembly further adopted a motion to amend the Act, when it received support yesterday. The Motion moved by Mr Aden, Chair of the General Purpose Committee and seconded by Dr Abdullah Makame, was moved under Article 49(1), 59(1) and Rule 26 of the Rules of Procedure of the House. At the moment, under the existing Act, the entry of cargo is required to be made within twenty-one days from the date of discharge of the vessel failing which the goods contained in the cargo begin to attract a charge or demurrage. However, Hon Aden avers that extending the time for removal of large consignments from the port of entry would eliminate demurrage charges and hence goods more affordable and allow for longer storage period to facilitate clearance. In the EAC, all cargo coming in to the region enters through the designated ports but mainly through the ports of Dar es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania and Mombasa in the Republic of Kenya. “I am concerned...