The International Data Corporation (IDC) anticipates that 2015 will see closer intra-Africa trade facilitated by ICT initiatives such as payment systems, financial inclusion initiatives, and cross-border payments. Technology will help breach intra-Africa trade barriers by removing obstacles, increasing efficiency and encouraging transparency. Also, IDC experts have said that ICT investments addressing African market realities will fuel GDP growth in key African countries, as we step into 2015 and countries largely dependent on oil and gas continue to count their losses. They said that ICT growth will be a key driver of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in key countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, and Rwanda, with mobile services penetration, financial inclusiveness initiatives and government service delivery driving ICT spend in the telecommunications, financial services, and government verticals. Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, IDC Middle East, Africa and Turkey; Mark Walker, Research Manager, Software and IT Services (Africa); Lise Hagen, and Senior Research Manager for Telecoms and Media (Africa), George Kalebaila, all representing IDC; predict that governments with relevant and effective national ICT policies will begin to dominate the economic landscape. According to them: "Increased government policies and relevant processes that favour ICT activities in the society will have a significant impact in countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Egypt where policies increase ICT awareness and access, device penetration, improved service platforms and boost infrastructure developments. "2015 heralds the battle for the SME market in more developed African markets: While a variety of ICT providers have made concerted efforts to tap...

Trade Mark East Africa has called on East African partner states to closely work with civil societies in the implementation of the East African Community (EAC) integration for their citizens to understand, own and benefit from the integration. Opening the 3rd Civil Society Forum, which attracted activists from across the region here yesterday, Trade Mark East Africa resident director Josaphat Kweka assured the EAC partner states and civil society organisations in the region of its continued support for the integration to be built on a strong foundation. “As you all know, the volume of informal cross-border trade is as big as the formal one. There is a need for assisting women’s institutions, for women mostly engage in informal trade,” Dr Kweka said. He explained that the move would greatly reduce household poverty levels and contribute to the national coffers. Dr Kweka said the prime goal of reviving regional integration was to expedite development amongst partner states and improve lives of East Africans. “Partner states have a chance for and a big contribution to forge development by grabbing opportunities that come with the process,” he said. Dr Kweka challenged participants to use the forum to discuss their contribution required for strengthening the EAC integration process, saying civil societies were close to the people. Going under the theme: the Role of Civil Society in Strengthening East African Community, the forum’s goal was to give participants an opportunity to deliberate on, among other things, views of Tanzanians on the EAC integration and ways...

Importers from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have up to February to collect cargo that has overstayed at the Mombasa port without paying fines after the three heads of state waived the charges last week. The Shippers Council of Eastern Africa said the move would help clear a backlog even as it cautioned of the risk of encouraging defaulters. “The move will help free up space at the port. But it may encourage opportunists who may want to default while looking forward to such windows,” said chief executive Gilbert Langat. The council said a 20-foot container attracts a storage fee of $25 (Sh2,262) a day and $40 (Sh3,619) for double the size, which the Kenya Ports Authority will now have to forgo. The overdue cargo also attracts demurrage charges on containers used to store the merchandise. The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat is expected to publish the names of traders whose cargo are pending at the port and the commencement for the waiver. “It was directed that cargo overstayed at the port of Mombasa shall be granted full waiver of customs warehouse rent and port demurrage charges to facilitate removal within 60 days from date of publication of notice…” reads a joint communiqué issued following last week’s infrastructure meeting. Hefty charges The eighth edition of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit held in Nairobi was attended President Uhuru Kenyatta, President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and President Paul Kagame (Rwanda). The shippers council, the lobby for exporters and importers in the region, said...

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 12 – Revenue authorities from Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have been instructed to ensure no clearing and forwarding agency is denied business at the port of Mombasa due to bureaucracy. President Uhuru Kenyatta, President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and President Paul Kagame (Rwanda) on Thursday night asked Kenya Revenue Authority boss John Njiraini and his counterparts to rectify a bureaucratic glitch that has seen almost 1,800 clearing and forwarding agents locked out from using systems used by Uganda and Rwanda to clear goods at the port of Mombasa. The instructions were given after President Kenyatta brought to the attention of the other leaders who were attending the 8th Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit at the Safari Park Hotel that many clearing and forwarding agencies have been disadvantaged after Uganda and Rwanda revenue authorities set up shop in Mombasa. The agents have been temporarily locked out because of delay in training them to use systems used by Uganda and Rwanda. The revenue authority bosses were summoned to stand in front of the Presidents to explain why such a situation could occur under their watch when the Heads of State themselves were working overtime to integrate the region. The officers as well as cabinet ministers were taken to task to say when they will resolve the backlog and ensure all agents are cleared to do business using the systems. The summit directed the revenue authorities to ensure that by the end of January the anomaly is rectified. “When we meet...

COTONOU, (Xinhua) -- The establishment of an African free trade zone to increase the volume of trade on the continent will consequently increase Sino-Africa trade relations, a Beninese economist Pascal Komlan said when he spoke to Xinhua over the weekend. “Even before the establishment of the continental free-trade zone, China had become Africa’s biggest trading partner for almost a decade. Now with the establishment of this platform, Sino-Africa relations will witness exponential growth,” he said, recalling that trade volumes between Africa and China had reached 200 billion U.S. dollars in 2013, against 10 billion dollars in 2000. “The free-trade zone is expected to be operational between now and 2017,” he noted. The economist noted that regional integration is the key to placing African states in the global economy. "The creation of this continental free-trade zone will be an opportunity for each African country to accelerate its economic transformation agenda. The vision of these countries is not to remain Least Developed Countries, but to build emerging economies," he said. However, he explained, the emergency of African economies will not be achieved without the support and expertise of China which views Africa as being key to its economic development strategy. “Our continent holds over a third of global mineral reserves. The proportion is higher than 70 percent when it comes to some minerals such as iron ore, manganese, platinum and bauxite,” he said, noting that “China equally needs some of these natural resources from Africa for its own economic growth.” He welcomed...

At the invitation of H.E Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Republic of Kenya, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, H.E. James Wani Igga, Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan, attended the 8th Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit on 11th December 2014, in Nairobi, Kenya. In attendance were Hon. Mrs. Leontine Nzeyima, Minister for East African Affairs of the Republic of Burundi, Hon. Habtamu Baye Chekole, Special Envoy of the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Hon. Samuel Sita, Minister for East African Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Richard Sezibera, Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), and the Executive Secretary of the Northern Corridor Transit Transport Coordination Authority. The Heads of State noted with appreciation the progress registered and renewed their commitment to fast-tracking the implementation of the Infrastructure Projects for transforming the Northern Corridor. The Heads of State expressed their solidarity with H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta and the People of Kenya and condemned the heinous acts of brutality and terror committed by the Al Shabaab in Mandera. They further extended warm appreciation to the Government of Kenya for the excellent preparations for the Summit and congratulated the People of Kenya on the occasion of the 51st Independence Anniversary. The Heads of State noted the commencement of the use of the National IDs in Uganda and its use as a travel document within the region which will greatly ease the...

KIGALI, Rwanda - Rwanda believes it can turn into a trade logistics hub in the East African Community and this is why the government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry is streamlining services that will help realize this objective. “The cost of trading across the borders which is mainly because Rwanda is a landlocked country, still affects the cost of shipping goods from Kigali to the ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. Vice versa but we have an ambition of making Rwanda a regional trade logistics hub,” Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Francois Kanimba said during the Services Investment Forum held in Kigali recently. Kanimba said this may appear ambitious, but the government strongly believes it is possible. “This will be achieved only through a multi-facilitated partnership, first of all with our neighboring countries in the region,” Kanimba said. The current initiative under the Northern Corridor Integration Project, of which Rwanda is a member, is also aimed at cutting down the costs involved in trading in the landlocked countries. Rwanda has so far achieved positive results with the establishment of the Single Customs Territory in the three countries (Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda). “The removal of the non-tariff barriers such as the weighbridges, and roadblocks and the establishment of One Stop Border posts has dramatically reduced the costs and time spent to get goods from port of Mombasa to Kigali,” Kanimba said. He said Rwanda hopes to enjoy same benefits through the Central Corridor when Tanzania joins the...

Very few tourists are applying for the single tourist visa and expatriates are now being used to market regional destinations. The visa allows multiple entries in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda for 90 days at Sh9,000 ($100). A holder can visit the three countries without added costs or associated bureaucracy. Tour firms recently proposed a review of the visa to allow 30 days of free movement for expatriates within the region, Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers chief executive Mike Macharia said. “We have realised that this segment has not been tapped into, so we are looking for ways to ensure that even as we lobby for use of national identity cards as travel documents, expatriates can be accorded similar privileges as regional citizens,” Mr Macharia said. NUMBER COULD GO UP He is also a member of the East Africa Tourism Platform and was speaking to the media in Nairobi on Wednesday. Since its launch on February 20, 2014, about 1,560 single tourist visas have been sold and as the chief executive officer of Kenya Tourism Federation Agatha Juma said, the number could go up by next year. Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda are the only countries out of five in the East African Community riding on the benefits brought about by the system. Recently, Tanzania indicated it would be joining the three. “The challenge, however, has been that there is lack of awareness among most tour companies within the East Africa region. This is also why very few are applying for...

VENTURES AFRICA – Rwanda has joined 3 other East African Community (EAC) countries on the East African Payments System (EAPS), which was designed to further integrate the region and provide a flexible payment option in line with easing the hassles associated with doing business in the region. “This system comes as a means of reducing dependence on hard currencies and the cost associated with foreign exchange transaction,” said John Rwangombwa, the Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), during a press briefing in Kigali. Rwangombwa added that the system is aimed at increasing efficiency and facilitating cross border transaction, which he noted, is essential for boosting intra-regional trade among East African Countries. “This is aimed at speeding up doing business in the EAC region.” EAPS to boost regional integration The EAPS is a Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) in the region and a multi-currency system in which payments are carried out using any currency of the EAC partner states. This is one of the multiple efforts aimed at EAC Payment modernization efforts and driven by the EAC Central Bank Governors so as to enhance cross border payments across the EAC region. Leaders of the EAC states believe this is another step that can promote regional trading, ease the overall cost of doing business and further position the region for more investments and development. Mr Rwangombwa urged the public to patronize the new cross border payment system and experience the numerous benefits which also include safety and efficiency, and...

NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 10 – The uptake of the Single Tourist Visa in the East African Community (EAC) has had a slow growth since its inception on February 20, according to industry players. Kenya Tourism Federation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Agatha Juma says this is as a result of the insecurity in the country with tourists fearing to visit Kenya. Juma said the only 1,560 Single Tourism visa have been sold so far. She said most tour operators are unaware of the products to sell in other parts of the region apart from what is available in their own country. “Most operators in Kenya don’t know what they sell in Tanzania and Rwanda and vice- versa, this lack of awareness has made tour operators unable to sell the Single Tourism Visa,” she explained. She said the federation received a grant of Sh9 million from Trademark East Africa that seeks to create awareness on the regional Single Tourist Visa and the use of Identity Cards in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Juma said the initiative will focus on encouraging the players in the tourism sector like tour operators and travel agencies to take advantage of the two developments and help grow the region’s tourism sector. She urged the government to come up with boards in Tourism related parastatals that include Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) that will offer guidance of oversight especially in times of crisis. On his part, Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers CEO Mike Macharia revealed that the East...