JUBA (HAN) August 20.2016. Public Diplomacy & Regional Security News. The East African Community Extraordinary Summit scheduled for Dar es Salaam next month will not mediate the South Sudan conflict as the country is yet to attain membership status in the regional body. A spokesperson for Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mindi Kasiga, told The EastAfricanthat despite signing up to become an EAC member, South Sudan is yet to deposit instruments of ratification with the EAC Secretariat. Ms Kasiga said that the agenda for next month’s EAC Summit which had earlier been scheduled for August, 19, is an evaluation of the status of the ratification of the EAC Treaty by South Sudan. The postponement of the Extraordinary Summit was requested by the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ms Mindi said, without giving the reasons for the request. However, another source said that Tanzania had said it was not ready for the Summit. Tanzania has reiterated its support for mediation effort undertaken by leaders of the  Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad), which is pressing the reluctant President Salva Kiir to accept the offer of beefing-up of peacekeeping troops composed of both Igad and UN, to avert a full-scale war in the world’s newest state. The UN agency for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief has warned that the situation in South Sudan could slide into “even worse humanitarian tragedy” if immediate preventive measures are not taken. The extraordinary summit will also deliberate on a report from the EAC’s mediator for the Burundi peace talks, the...

Tanzania is aiming at making transforming the corridor into a trade route of choice for eastern and central Africa. By Dias Nyesiga With over 70 percent of Rwanda’s maritime cargo passing through Dar es Salaam port, Tanzania is hastily addressing the demands of Rwandan traders mainly restoring the old infrastructure along the Central corridor. Although they are willing to use Tanzania’s Central corridor against the Kenya’s Northern corridor, Rwandan traders insisted there is need to rehabilitate roads along the central corridor which have been in existent for over the past 25 years. “We are worried that if more traders use the corridor, it will impact pressure on the roads which may lead to their breakdown and this would mean delays along the way,” said Theodore Murenzi, secretary General of Rwanda Long distance truck drivers Association told KT Press. As a result, the government has set aside over Tshs 30 billion in its current budget regime for the rehabilitation of road networks mainly in the central as well as a loan financing for revamping of its standard railway gauge.  “The road network in Tanzania is currently over loaded, but we are fixing breakages as we also look at standard railway gauge as a long term  solution to the infrastructure problem,” saidLawrence Mafuru, Treasury Registrar of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. Also, the Tanzania  Ports Authority has also resumed the wagon railway system between  Dar es Salaam to Isaka dry  port which  is expected to  cut  transport  costs for...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources yesterday launched a new online portal expected to reduce the cost of importing and exporting agricultural produce. The innovation, according to State Minister for Agriculture Tony Nsanganira, is a double win for importers and exporters of plants/plants materials, animals/animal products and agrichemicals in Rwanda. It means they will be able to spend less time and spend less when acquiring import and export permits. Cheese exhibitors showcase their products in Kigali earlier this year. / File. The ministry developed the portal through a direct project funding of $150, 000 secured from TradeMark Africa (TMA) a regional trade facilitation institution, Nsanganira told The New Times yesterday. He lauded the new development, saying that, “ICT is no longer an option but a necessity for economic development. We can hardly do without it. We rely on the ICTs for almost all our daily activities, including communications, transport, and businesses, just to mention these few.” Participants follow proceedings during the meeting. / Nadege Imbabazi The trade portal comprises of two interlinked platforms; a front-end login portal where Rwanda Agriculture Livestock Inspection and Certification Services (RALIS) stakeholders will access services ranging from information on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements, international and Rwanda trade regulations, and features to access and request for services. The second platform is a Management Information System to be used by RALIS management and staff to process requests for services. “The linkages within the system will enhance inter-government agency coordination with the aim of improving service...

Rwanda, 19 August 2016 : It is a double win for importers and exporters of plants/plants materials, animals/animal products and agrichemicals in Rwanda, as they will spend less time and spend less when acquiring import and export permits. The gains follow the development and commissioning of an online trade management information portal. This re-engineering has automated the systems and processes used by Rwanda Agricultural Livestock Inspection and Certification services (RALIS) to regulate and facilitate businesses involved in international trade in the agricultural sector in Rwanda. Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture developed the portal through a direct project funding of US$ 150 000 (One hundred and fifty thousand US dollars) from TradeMark Africa (TMA) the region’s fore Trade Facilitation institution. The announcement was made during the official launch of the portal graced by Hon. Tony Roberto Nsanganira, the State Minister of Agriculture. Hon. Nsanganira lauded the new development saying that, “ICT is no longer an option but a necessity in order to reach the economic development. We can hardly do without it. We rely on the ICTs for almost all our daily activities including communications, transport, businesses, just to mention these few. This portal will reduce costs and delays, enhancing compliance enforcement, as well as better transparency, accountability and competency among the traders, transportation agencies and government authorities ; it interfaces with Electronic Single Window, which also eases the clearance activities and exchanging information among multiple government agencies. The system will also eliminate the SPS Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) serving no justified purpose and this...

16 Rwandan companies register USD$18M growth in export values after undergoing training programme The programme has been integrated into the Rwandan National Export Strategy TMA invested USD$1.4m in implementing the initiative that trained 16 companies to prepare and implement export plans Kigali, 11 August 2016: A TradeMark Africa (TMA) funded initiative to increase trade flows has boosted Rwanda’s export capacity of select companies in Rwanda. Out of the a target of 16 companies, 13 now export outside Rwanda, thus contributing to increased Rwanda exports to the rest of the EAC. Some of the companies that were able to export out of Rwanda include chalk producer G-Mart and food manufacturer SOSOMA. Rwanda Development Board (RDB) implemented the export development programme through the Irish firm Traidlinks between 2013 to 2015. It was funded by TMA to a tune of US$1.4 million. To ensure sustainability, RDB has integrated the approach into the Rwanda Export Development Strategy as a way of making Rwandan companies export-ready. Six local consultants were engaged to train the 16 companies on how to prepare and implement export plans.  TMA shares its key lessons learned as the fact that skills transfer and mentoring promotes and builds capacity and confidence of exporters, which keeps them sustainable in the export markets. Existence of institutional frameworks and collaboration by the RDB and implementation partners keeps the programme sustainable. The organization further urges Rwanda to develop a competitive private sector with capacity to compete and export value added products to the EAC markets and...

The opening of a liaison office for the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), scheduled on October 1, has been welcomed by Rwandan traders who will see their business get a lot easier. During a recent visit to Rwanda, TPA director general Deusdedit Kakoko said that the office in Kigali could reduce the costs for Rwandan importers by up to 20%. "We have been here for the last three days meeting exporters and importers to hear about their concerns. The cost of doing business through Tanzania is going to be lowered with the opening of the Kigali Liaison Office. There are also many improvements taking place at the port of Dar es Salaam and the Central Corridor in a bid to offer efficient and better services to our Rwandan clients," he said. The liaison office, which will be located in M. Peace Plaza, will bring the port's services closer to traders in order to reduce costs of doing business and hurdles in logistic and supply chain. Rwandan traders will no longer have to travel to Dar to clear their cargo. Kakokoalso observed that security services at the port have been upgraded to combat theft, among other measures. "We have also reduced the checking process from over 20 to 3 checkpoints, and consequently, transit is taking only three days from Dar to Kigali, down from the previous seven days," he explained. "Rwanda is a growing market and we are committed to facilitate our business partners. We vow to make sure that Kigali exporters...

Dr Magufuli, who doubles as the chairman of the regional economic grouping, mentioned some of the most persistent challenges as access to clean and safe water, improving transport infrastructures, strengthening health services and build industries that would lead to increase of employment and revenues. He noted this in a conversation with the EAC Secretary General, Ambassador Liberat Mfumukeko, at the State House in Dar es Salaam. “It would be more beneficial if you executives of the EAC make big efforts to ensure that member countries focus on addressing problems facing the people,” he said, adding: “if you manage to do this and work on reducing unnecessary expenditure, we will achieve more.” He commended Ambassador Mfumukeko, who took over the position last April, for coming up with good plans and strategies towards implementing the community’s objectives, including reducing expenditures, attract investors and closely supervise projects and programmes under the bloc. Mr Mfumukeko expressed satisfaction on the cooperation he receives from Dr Magufuli as EAC chairman and promised to perform his duties accordingly for the benefit of East Africans. Meanwhile, President Magufuli said goodbye to former Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF), Dr Natalia Kanem, who has recently been appointed to the post of Deputy Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director of the organisation. Dr Magufuli commended Dr Kanem for being appointed to the new position, saying he was optimistic that she is going to be a good ambassador for Tanzania, particularly on influencing the United Nations to help...

Presidents of East African Community partner states recently announced they were banning imports of used clothes, locally known as caguwa. They gave sound economic reasons for the ban: promoting the local textile industry and other economic activities linked to it, creating jobs, raising taxes, and so on. There was even an appeal to a sense of pride. Wearing clothes someone else has discarded (in Rwanda that is called gukuburirwa) is not exactly dignified. No one goes around proudly showing off such clothes (ibikuburano). Despite these good reasons, the decision was bound to be contentious. And it was, by East Africans. Importers and wholesalers, big retailers in the towns and smaller ones in the village markets for whom it is good business wouldn’t let go without at least making some noise. Ordinary people also find second-hand clothes very affordable. That was to be expected and is understandable. Which is why East African leaders announced a phase-out period for the ban to be fully implemented. But now stiffer opposition to the ban on used clothes has come from an unlikely quarter – or maybe it is not so unlikely – the United States. Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper reported Wednesday, August 17 that the US Ambassador to Uganda warned the country against implementing the ban. Amb. Deborah Malac is reported to have issued the warning when she made a courtesy call on the Speaker of Uganda’s parliament, Rebecca Kadaga. Don’t be fooled by nice diplomatic words like “courtesy call”. They do not always...

Rwandan importers and exporters will no longer need to travel to Dar es Salaam port, thanks to a move by the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to open a liaison office in Kigali in October. The decision was announced by the TPA Director General, Eng Deusdedit Kakoko, during a press conference over the weekend in Kigali. The press conference was also attended by the Treasury Registrar, Mr Lawrence Mafuru who headed the Tanzania delegation to Rwanda. "This is a clear testimony that Tanzania is committed to improve business environment to our clients in the neighbouring countries," Eng Kakoko told journalists, adding that TPA has vowed to make sure that Kigali exporters and importers using Dar port will continue to enjoy best possible services. He noted that having a TPA liaison office means that services shall be brought near to customers in order to cut down costs of doing business and reduce hurdles within the logistic and supply chain. The opening of the office means that business community will not be obliged to travel all the way to Dar es Salaam to clear their cargo; a step seen as healthy since it will help serve time. The liaison office will be a One Stop Centre whereby customers will be able to access information such as status of their cargo, applicable port charges, make payments through Electronic Payment System (EPS) and attend to any queries. "We call upon all our customers to make effective use of this office once opened and take advantage...

Trade relations between the East African countries of Burundi and Rwanda have worsened following a ban of food exports to Rwanda that Burundian exporters fear will affect their ability to repay their loans. The government of Burundi banned food exports destined to Rwanda at the end of July, later restricting transportation links between the two countries to help enforce the ban. Since then, prices have fallen so much that exporters are reportedly concerned about their livelihood. The government justified the ban saying they aim to save food for national consumption in case of famine, but the local press has reported that the move is aimed at hurting Rwanda, with second vice-president Joseph Butore reportedly stating: “We can’t give the fruit of our labour to Rwanda because they want to fight us.” On his part, Rwanda’s minister for trade and industry Francois Kanimba stated at a press conference that the decision would not in any way affect Rwanda’s economy, but that it impacted badly on the East African Community (EAC), of which both Burundi and Rwanda are members. “This is a very serious breach of EAC free trade regime,” he said. The speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Daniel Kidega agreed with the Rwandan minister. “What Burundi is doing is a serious breach of EAC trade agreement and EALA is going to investigate the matter and find an immediate solution. The region is not happy at all. This hinders the regional integration process,” he said to local press. Relations...