African states must be transparent to attract foreign investment, DP World chairman says DUBAI: African nations must do more to cut red tape and develop their infrastructure if they are to attract investment and trade, DP World Chairman, Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, said in Dubai on Tuesday. Addressing delegates at the Africa Global Business Forum, he said that countries must realise they are competing with states around the world for investment funds. DP World operates two ports in Algeria and one each in Djibouti, Senegal, Egypt and Mozambique. “The six terminals we have are in partnership with the governments,” Bin Sulayem said at a session on the infrastructure of trade. “It’s working.” But he said many investors were concerned about risk when considering African investments. DP World is currently in a dispute with the Djibouti government over its port concession there. Bin Sulayem said he could not discuss specifics, as the case was in arbitration, but added that the port is “contributing almost 12 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) in Djibouti”. “The port is the most modern in Africa, with an amazing infrastructure,” he said. “Today, if we were to invest in a developed market in Europe — we just built a port in England — it may be that the return is low, but it is safe. “In Africa there is opportunity, but the risk is perceived by many people. We are investing, so we gave more courage than many people,” he added. Further highlighting the attraction...

If farmers are to feel the benefit of global exports in their pockets, brand-building exercises such as the upcoming Irish trade mission to West Africa must be matched by serious commitments from exporters to markets that will pay for a high-value food product. The value of internationally-traded agri-food products has more than doubled over the last decade and exceeds €700bn.Most of the growth in demand is taking place in emerging and developing markets where demographics, social trends and income growth are leading to increased demand for food. This particular growth trend is primarily of interest to countries that can produce low-cost food commodities. Another emerging market trend - that is of greater interest to exporters from high-cost countries such as Ireland - is the growing segment of discerning middle-class consumers, who value a high-quality and traceable product. It is important that exporters identify the kind of growth market with which they are dealing. For example, the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) is an attractive market in terms of population and income growth. More than 75pc of the world's population growth over the next 15 years will come from this region, which has a forecasted average economic growth rate of 8.4pc, which will facilitate a 35pc increase in per-capita GDP over the next five years. However, the top-line figures are deceptive, since these figures reflect a growing population, which will continue to seek low-cost foods.Even in higher-income countries in the Middle East, the average consumer remains extremely cost-conscious, is...

TradeMark Africa has allocated Sh1.02 billion for the implementation of a WTO-backed trade improvement programme for the East African Community partner states. The World Trade Organisation Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO FTA) focuses on ways of transporting, releasing and clearing goods and compels countries to ensure that trade concerns including taxes, documentation procedures along their transport corridors and ports are completely abolished. The pact is expected to reduce the cost of doing business and complement current efforts of eradicating trade barriers in the region. The agreement was arrived at during the 2013 WTO ministerial conference in Bali, Indonesia, where various decisions — aimed at making trade among the agency’s member states easy — were made. The decisions will also ensure food security and boost trade and overall development.“We have set aside Sh1.02 billion ($10 million) to go towards various projects that will help in implementation of the agreement which is meant to facilitate trade among East Africa partner states,” said TradeMark Africa chief executive Frank Matsaert. Matsaert revealed the figure stating that there was a need for countries to work together in getting rid of barriers that negatively affected trade in the region. Implementation of the agreement is expected to start before the 10th WTO Ministerial conference in mid-December in Nairobi. The conference takes place every two years and brings together member countries and custom unions. Members make decision by consensus. is expected that the cost of doing business between the EAC member states and other markets would reduce by almost...

Sky News Australia Tanzania outlines plans to open ports to landlocked neighbours Independent Online Dar es Salaam - Tanzania aims to hike cargo volumes through the port of Dar es Salaam next year by almost 40 percent over last year. This was part of plans to expand and build new transport links and become a regional hub, President Jakaya Kikwete said ... Stakeholders Must Stop Road CarnageAllAfrica.com More havoc as rains pound DarDaily News Death toll rises as torrential rains hit Dar es SalaameTurboNews Businessweek -Bloomberg -Brisbane Times all 23 Source: Tanzania Today

Four Burundi citizens and a similar number of Kenyans are in the race to succeed Dr Richard Sezibera when his term as Secretary-General of the East African Community ends early next year. Although it is Burundi’s turn to nominate a citizen to the position, the insecurity in the country could prove a hindrance, hence the Kenyans’ decision to wait in the wings. The SG’s post is rotational and the occupant of the seat is chosen by the head of state of the appointing country. Burundi’s contestants are Foreign Affairs Minister Alain Nyamitwe; former EAC deputy SG - productive and social sector Jean Claude Nsengiyumva; EAC Deputy SG - Finance and Administration Libérat Mfumukeko; and the country’s East African Legislative Assembly MP Hafsa Mossi, a former journalist. The Kenyans said to be lobbying for the position are Abdirahin Abdi, the former EALA speaker; Peter Kiguta, the EAC Director-General of Customs & Trade; EAC Deputy SG Charles Njoroge; and Joseph Nyagah, national co-ordinator for the Northern Corridor Integration Project and a former Cabinet minister. It is expected that the new secretary-general will be sworn in at the EAC Ordinary Heads of State Summit in Dar es Salaam in February and not in April as earlier thought. “The summit that was to be held this month (November 30) has been pushed to February next year to allow Tanzania’s new government under the new president John Magufuli to settle into office,” said a source privy to the arrangements. “Thus it is better for the presidents to have a new secretary-general sworn...

EAST African Community Legislative Assembly (EACLA), members have commended Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), for the ongoing Dar es Salaam Port improvements seeking to increase efficiency in service delivery. The Chairperson of the Legislative’s Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution Committee, Mr Abdullah Mwinyi, gave the praise during a tour of his committee to the Port yesterday. “We are here to witness development which affects our countries in one way or another,” he noted. The group toured various areas at the Port including the Tanzania International Container Terminal Ltd (TICTS). Mr Mwinyi expressed the committee’s satisfaction especially 24/7 hours service at the Port; Electronic payment system, safety, efficiency improvement in on loading and off loading of cargo. However, he cautioned that there was urgent need to revive the central railway line and enable it serve cargo passing through the Port. “More than 90 per cent of cargo is transported by road; there is need to make the central line work and connect it with the Port,” he stressed. The Acting Dar es Salaam Port Manager, Mr Hebel Mhanga said the authority is working hard to make it one of the biggest and efficient ports in the region and Africa at large. “We have assured them that no cargo will be lost at this Port and that we shall not pass illegal consignments here,” he said. He explained that plans were ongoing to start scanning of on transit goods as it is the practice for local goods. The exercise will be carried out...

Dar es Salaam — Tanzania has for a long time been portrayed as the reluctant partner in the East African Community. Tanzanian officials have repeatedly denied that the country lags behind in the integration process. They argue that the collapse of the first EAC and problems in the union with Zanzibar have taught the country a lesson or two on the importance of ensuring that the integration process is steady and well thought after and that any rushed process tends to backfire. Northern corridor Frustrated by what they perceive to be Tanzania's cold feet the three EAC presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Paul Kagame of Rwanda decided to move ahead on their own in July 2013 through what became famously known as the "Coalition of the Willing" (CoW). They agreed to fast track the political federation and launched the northern corridor transit and transport improvement project that include the construction of the standard gauge railways from Mombasa to Kigali, the oil pipeline from northern and western Ugandan oilfields to the Lamu port. The intention of the CoW countries was to register progress in those areas that cannot wait for the slower partners. But one of the unintended consequences of the CoW was to push Tanzania into feeling isolated in the EAC integration process. That kind of feeling certainly exerted psychological pressure on Tanzanian leaders who started complaining publicly about attempts to push the country out of the EAC. Retired President Jakaya Kikwete addressed Parliament in...

(Seychelles News Agency) - In spite of being small in size compared to other African countries, Seychelles an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean is aiming to become the hub for trade between African countries. The island nation wants to emulate countries like Singapore which is today the centre in Asia for trading in commodities globally. After taking steps to promote the blue economy concept on the international scene, Seychelles is now looking at bringing African nations together through trade. Speaking to the press at a meeting dubbed the ‘African Prosperity conference’ that is being hosted by the island nation since Tuesday, the Chairman of the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (SCCI) Marco Francis called for greater partnership between African nations. "I have travelled to many parts of Africa. Africa has some very good structures to do business. African businessmen have the same vision as we do, they want to do business and they want to expand. Let’s partner together.” Francis noted that today trade between African countries stands at only 16 percent while the majority of the continent’s imports are from European and Asian countries. As part of efforts to boost regional trade, leaders from 26 African countries joined together in June this year to sign an ambitious declaration in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt to establish a wide-reaching free-trade zone across almost the entire eastern half of the African continent. The Tripartite Free Trade Agreement (TFTA), which incorporates member countries from the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for...

In preparation for the 10th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which is scheduled to take place in Nairobi-Kenya from 15-18 December 2015, the African Union held a Meeting of Trade Ministers on 20th July 2015 in Nairobi-Kenya. During the deliberations, the AU Ministers were unanimous in reaffirming the strategic objectives for an African Trade Policy, which should be based on Africa’s industrialization in order to achieve the structural transformation of African economies. The Conference was addressed by a distinguished cadre of personalities including H.E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry, H.E. Mr. Mukhisa Khituyi, the UNCTAD Secretary General, Mr. David Shark, WTO Deputy Director General and, Mrs. Dorothy Tembo, Deputy Exeutive Director of the International Trade Center. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Ambassador (Dr.) Amina C. Mohamed, the Kenya Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade. During the meeting, the Ghana Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Dr. Ekwow Spio –Garbrah as is customary with his reputed leadership demeanor which excels on clear strategic vision, advocated the setting up of an unprecedented “African Trade Information Sharing Portal to boost trade and investment ties between African countries”. For a full decade and for most of the time as his Chairman, I have witnessed Minister Dr. Spio-Garbrah’s highly acclaimed professional work in the area of ICT and telecommunications during his term of office as the CEO of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization. It was, therefore, of no surprise that he has opted to tap his...

Dar es Salaam — The official launch of a $7.6 billion (Sh15 trillion) standard gauge railway line will now take place in the next six weeks, BusinessWeek has learnt. Retired President Jakaya Kikwete was initially scheduled to officiate at the launch on September 15, 2015, but the event had to be rescheduled due to busy schedules of top government officials. Mr Kikwete stepped down on November 5 and was succeeded by Dr John Magufuli. According to a report released by the Reli Assets Holding Company (Rahco) last week, the standard gauge railway to link Dar es Salaam and neighbouring Burundi, Rwanda and DR Congo has been delayed and will now be launched by Dr Magufuli. Under the original plan announced by former minister for Transport, Samwel Sitta, Mr Kikwete was scheduled to launch such a giant project on September 15, but he failed to do so due to busy elections period, according to Rahco Managing Director, Benhard Tito. "The project is still intact. It is set to be launched before the end of this year. Communications among senior government officers of Tanzania, DR Congo, Rwanda and Burundi are going on for the successful launching of this important project," says Mr Tito. Moreover, Rahco Public Relations Officer Catherine Moshi, says that the timeline for launching the standard gauge railway will remain intact as last week senior government officers of Burundi, Rwanda and DR Congo had accompanied the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Dr Shaaban Mwinjaka, to the site for...