Regional countries need to promote aquaculture because East Africans are not getting enough fish and the amount obtained from available natural water bodies is not enough. MP Christophe Bazivamo (Rwanda), who chairs the committee on agriculture, tourism and natural resources at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), said this earlier in the week as he presented the status of fisheries in the region. Aquaculture, the farming of water organisms, involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, as opposed to commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish. “Fish production is not adequate from natural waters to cater for high population growth in East African Community partner states. It is for this reason that aquaculture should be promoted,” said Bazivamo. Findings during the committee’s previous oversight activities revealed that even though fisheries are a source of protein to about 150 million people in the Community, per capita fish consumption is less than 10 kg per annum compared to World Health Organisation recommended per capita consumption of 25 kg per annum. Why focus on fish? Nutritionists say fish provides a good source of high quality protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Dr Robert Kayanda, a regional fisheries expert, earlier informed the committee that latest per capita consumption studies for respective partner states are: Burundi 3.6 kilogrammes, Kenya 3.45 kilogrammes, Rwanda 2.3 kilogrammes, Uganda 10 kilogrammes and Tanzania 8 kilogrammes. Bazivamo, however, noted that low per capita fish consumption in the Community depends on several factors, including low production...

The establishment of East African Monetary Institute (EAMI) has reportedly been postponed. This implies that the EAC aspiration for a single currency may not be realised upon expiry of 10-year roadmap towards a single currency in the year 2024. The postponement has been occasioned by lack of resources. Establishment of the EAMI is precursor to the institution of the East African Central Bank, without which the East African Monetary Unit may not take flight. Tongues are incriminatingly already wagging: Is the EAC single currency really viable, even necessary, especially in light of the lessons we are gleaning from the imminent British exit (Brexit) from the European Union, or the near exit of Greece (Grexit) last year when it wallowed in debilitating debt and seeking bailout? First, Britain’s lesson with the Pound Sterling is that a country may be a member of a highly integrated regional community and yet not be part of a single currency and thrive. But the larger lesson lies in the complications Brexit is posing about what it will mean for labour and free movement guaranteed under the Schengen arrangement, notably what to do with EU citizens living and working in Britain and vice versa – if, and when, Brexit is legally operationalised. Indeed, Brexit has become something of a rallying cry for far-right political parties across Europe that is threatening to tear apart the EU project. Britain may have done well with the Pound Sterling. But the socio-economic and political costs of Brexit to the EU...

Tanzania has started a programme to train tailors in anticipation of plans to implement a regional ban on the importation of second-hand clothes and footwear by 2019. The training is in accordance with the government’s industrialisation plan, and the East African Community’s plan to boost regional trade. Tanzania has started a programme to train tailors in anticipation of plans to implement a regional ban on the importation of second-hand clothes and footwear by 2019. According to the East African, Jenista Mhagama, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office said the training programmes will equip young Tanzanians with tailoring skills. The skilled youths will be employed in clothes and footwear manufacturing factories, which are going to be opened, in line with the government’s industrialisation plan, Mhagama said. Early this year the East African Community (EAC) approved a proposed ban to boost the manufacturing industry, and help grow the region’s economy. The import ban is expected to boost Tanzania’s manufacturing industry, create employment, and help grow the economy. With the training, Tanzania becomes one of the first countries in the region to start preparing for the implementation of the ban. Read: Should the East African Community proceed in banning second-hand clothing? While the ban has its merits, there are concerns that a blanket ban will hurt the poor. Amidst the growing unemployment and poverty, the importation of second hand clothes provides a lifeline to the unemployed (informal traders), while the cheap clothes, often of high quality are irresistible for customers. However,...

By Lydia Shekighenda As the Vice-President of Total East Africa, Mr Javier Rielo, assured President John Magufuli that preparations for the construction of the 1,410-kilometre oil pipeline from Lake Albert in Uganda to Tanga Port in Tanzania are in good progress, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has shown interest in using the facility. Mr Rielo made the assurance in Dar es Salaam yesterday when he met with President Magufuli to brief him on the progress of work on the construction of the pipeline. He said that his company is determined to ensure that the project is successfully implemented. The construction of the pipeline, with the capacity of transporting 200,000 barrels per day, will provide 1,500 direct employment and 20,000 indirect employments. Speaking after receiving the report, President Magufuli said he believed the project will be of great benefit to Tanzania, Uganda, Total Company and neighbouring countries. He assured Mr Rielo of his government's cooperation in implementing the project despite Tanzania's geographical position being one of the advantages for the project. Meanwhile, the DR Congo government has shown interest in using the pipeline for transporting its crude oil. DRC Minister In-charge of Hydrocarbons, Mr Ngoi Mukena, said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that his country has discovered a lot of oil and preferred to use the crude oil pipeline because the area where the oil has been found is close to it. "I believe that if my country will succeed in using the pipeline, it will be beneficial to both countries...

By Appolonia Uwanziga Women involved in informal cross-border trade on the Rwanda-Uganda border at Gatuna have called for more sensitisation on tax policies and the opportunities presented by the regional market. Aline Muhawenimana, a trader at Gatuna border, said; "Informal cross-border traders still need assistance on the existing tax and trade regulations to be able to formalise their operations." Muhawenimana said many cross-border women traders do not understand these policies, which affects their businesses. She added that though there are incentives they can benefit from, cross-border women traders do not know how to access or are not aware of such benefits or projects. "Some of us who are in the process of formalising our operations and we are beginning to benefit. For instance, we are no longer harassed and the security and safety of our goods is assured, which has enhanced our profits," said Muhawenimana in an interview with The New Times on Wednesday She said free movement of people, goods and services under the single customs territory along the Northern Corridor has improved trade among border communities and hence boosted household earnings. "We are happy that we have sustainable sources of income that has improved our livelihoods," she said. According to Jane Bayera, the chairperson of the Gatuna Crossborder Co-operative, more needs to be done to educate cross-border women traders about trade policies. Meanwhile, Bayera said women traders participate in initiatives aimed at improving the business environment along the Northern Corridor, including identification of non-tariff barriers at customs posts,...

Global warming could create substantial economic damage in agriculture, a new study conducted by a team of scientists of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research finds. Around the globe, climate change threatens agricultural productivity, forcing up food prices. While financial gains and losses differ between consumers and producers across the regions, bottom line is that consumers in general will likely have to pay more for the same basket of food. As the additional expenditure for consumers outweighs producers' gains, increasing net economic losses will occur in the agriculture and food sector towards the end of the century. However, economic losses could be limited to 0.3 percent of global GDP - depending on agricultural trade policies. "Agriculture is very sensitive to climate change - even a small increase of global mean temperatures can have significant effects on regional crop yields, affecting both the profitability of agricultural production and the share of income spent on food", lead author Miodrag Stevanovi? says. "Our study quantifies economic impacts and analyses the role of international trade as an adaptation measure. We find that economic losses in agriculture could add up to the annual amount of roughly 0.8 percent of global GDP at the end of the century with a very restricted trade regime. As small as this percentage sounds, it actually translates to losses of 2.5 trillion US Dollars and is comparably higher for regions with limited agricultural resources with respect to growing agricultural demand, for example the Middle East, Africa and India. In...

Tullow Oil workers at a drilling rig in Turkana. Tullow struck Kenya’s first oil in the northwest region of in Lokichar in 2012, and followed it with a string of other finds. PHOTO | FILE  IN SUMMARY Tullow Oil will initially produce 2,000 barrels of crude oil per day and have stocks ready for export in June 2017. Kenya plans to have the oil transported by road from Turkana to Eldoret for onward delivery by train to the port of Mombasa. British oil firm Tullow on Wednesday raised Kenya’s hopes of becoming an oil exporting country after it officially announced plans to start producing oil from Turkana in March next year. Tullow Oil chief operating officer Paul McDade told President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House Nairobi that it will initially produce 2,000 barrels of crude oil per day and have stocks ready for export in June 2017. The announcement is in line with State House’s plan to have the oil transported by road from Turkana to Eldoret for onward delivery by train to the port of Mombasa — a distance of 1,089 kilometres. “Following President Kenyatta’s directive that exportation of Kenya’s first oil be expedited, Tullow Oil has this afternoon confirmed that it will start oil production in March next year,” a statement from State House said. Tullow’s count of the Turkana oil reserves so far stands at 750 million barrels — which is considered commercially viable at the current prices of $50 (Sh5,050) a barrel. One barrel is equivalent...

Mr Iswaran (left) during the signing ceremony yesterday. The agreements come at a time of growing interest among Singapore firms to explore opportunities in Africa. Photo: IE Singapore Agreements on tax, bilateral investment and air services open doors to emerging market. SINGAPORE — The Republic yesterday inked several tax, investment and air services agreements with Africa, in a move that will boost relations with the world’s second-largest and second most-populous continent. The agreements will also ease entry by Singapore firms into a region that investing guru Mark Mobius once described as the emerging market story of the next decade. Among the agreements signed by Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) Mr S Iswaran at the fourth edition of the Africa Singapore Business Forum (ASBF) was an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) with Ethiopia, a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with Mozambique, and a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Nigeria. “While our traditional overseas markets remain important, Singapore companies must venture beyond these markets to seize opportunities in untapped markets in regions such as Africa. Ethiopia, Mozambique and Nigeria are three fast-growing African economies and the agreements signed today signify commitment on the part of Singapore and the respective African governments to support trade, tourism and investment between our countries,” said Mr Iswaran. The Ethiopia-Singapore DTA clarifies the taxing rights between Singapore and Ethiopia, on all forms of income flows arising from cross-border business activities, and minimises the double taxation of such income. This will lower barriers to cross-border investment,...

CRAFTS producers in East Africa will soon be able to sell their products to international markets following the plans to establish an annual professional for Business-to-Business (B2B) trade fair for Home Décor, Fashion Accessories and Lifestyle products in the region. Currently, there is no B2B trade platform for the crafts sector in the whole of East African region. The Africa and Middle East World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) regional director, Mr Bernard Outah said there is need to establish B2B so that producers could easily sell their products to any country of their choice without problem. He said, at the moment, the only option for producers to reach regional or international buyers is to travel around the region in search of potential buyers or to participate in trade fairs in South Africa, West Africa or International trade fairs in Europe or the US. He said the high cost of participation fails most of African crafts producers from attending international trade fairs. “Failure to access market opportunities is one of the key challenges that face most of African crafts producers in East African region,” he said. According to Mr Outah, the establishment of B2B will enable East African crafts producers to excel in the area and boost their businesses at both local and international levels. Meanwhile, the public has been urged to recognize the crafts sector as a key economic sector in the region and offer required support so that it can unfold its potentiality. CBI programme manager for the export...

By Joseph Olanyo The East African countries must commit to develop the agro-processing sub-sector but also take care of the climate change issues therein, experts have said. Climate change, food security and trade experts were gathered in Kampala recently to review recent policy research on how agro-processing can become more climate sensitive, trade driven and food security enhancing in the region. "The region's success in realising this potential will partly depend on its ability to factor in the ever-increasing challenges posed by climate change, and work in synergy with its own trade agenda," said a statement released after the meeting. The regional meeting, jointly organised by CUTS Geneva and SEATINI, also identified necessary policy actions to be pursued over the next three years under the regional project "Promoting Agriculture, Climate and Trade Linkages in the East African Community - Phase 2" (PACT EAC2). The project seeks to build capacities of East Africans to be climate-aware, trade-driven and food security-enhancing agro-processing in their region. "We all agree that climate change is real, and that agro-processing is the way forward. These issues are intertwined," said Fred Mukasa Mbidde, the chairman of East African Legislative Assembly's Committee on communication, trade and investment. Dr Oswald Mashindano, a principal research associate with the Economic and Social Research Foundation Tanzania, said that whereas agro-processing development has been earmarked as a key regional priority, multi-pronged challenges continue to affect the East African region. Mashindano, also a rural development academic at the University of Dar es Salaam said...