Elephant tusks. Elephants are some of the endangered wild animals targeted by poachers. / Net. The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is calling on East African Community Partner States to enact new wildlife legislation with enhanced penalties and improve strategies and protection measures in a bid to save the region’s wildlife. Findings by EALA’s committee on agriculture, tourism and natural resources indicate that elephants and rhinoceros are the animals most vulnerable to poaching but other species including leopards, pythons, marine turtles and others are also endangered. The committee’s oversight activity report says that contributing factors include persistent weaknesses in the legislation governing wildlife crime, along with poor administration and low levels of compliance. “The Committee recommends the EAC Secretariat to expedite the ongoing anti-poaching strategy to combat poaching, illegal trade and trafficking of wildlife and wildlife products to foster regional coordination,” said committee chairperson MP Christophe Bazivamo (Rwanda). Christophe Bazivamo. “We recommend the EAC Secretariat to develop common strategies, standards, and guidelines for conservation of shared natural resources. The Committee also urges East African elephant range countries, and those through which ivory transits, to create national anti-poaching multi-agency security task force.” The report was presented Tuesday as the Assembly begun its ordinary sitting in Arusha, Tanzania. Other measures called for include forming specialised units to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and increasing international cooperation. Wildlife crime is one of the most lucrative forms of illegal activities worldwide and it hurts people, communities and economies. Besides urging...

Dr Papias Malimba Musafiri, the minister for education, speaks during the first East African stakeholders' workshop on science, technology and innovation as Dr Ignace Gatare, director-general of National Commission for Science and Technology (L), looks on. At the workshop in Kigali, Musafiri said maximising science and technology is part of the government's agenda to enhance products value addition. / Nadege Imbabazi. Maximising use of science and technology is part of the government’s agenda to increase products value addition, Education minister Papias Musafiri has said. The minister was speaking, yesterday, as experts met to devise regional priorities in science, technology, and innovation funding workshop in Kigali. The workshop convened regional scientific bodies and commissions, under the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO). It sought to design a five-year action plan in integration of science and technology toward socio-economic transformation and sustainable development. Head of DFID Rwanda Laure Beaufils speaks during the first East African stakeholders' workshop on science technology and innovation. / Nadege Imbabazi Minister Musafiri said a policy on science and technology should provide tangible and palpable solutions to prevailing challenges. “The role of science and technology, first of all, is to provide simple technology that should later be disseminated or transferred to support either farms or small-scale industry activities and to ensure that we have some facilities at the lower level processes of the materials which are being produced,” he said. A participant follows proceedings. / Nadege Imbabazi. Musafiri said it was important to create a value addition...

The East African Community needs a strong and uniform regulatory framework that promote financial inclusion to ensure sustainable growth in the region. Prof Lemma Senbet, from the African Economic Research Consortium says that a regionally integrated financial system that feeds into a global system will help strengthen the financial industry on the continent. Senbet also noted that a strong linkage between the financial industry and other sectors of the economy is crucial for Africa. The professor stated that It is important to have a globally competitive financial system and regulatory framework to ensure best practices. Source: TVC News

(L to R) Trade and Industry (Industry) Minister S Iswaran, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Mozambique's Minister of Trade and Industry Ernesto Max Elias Tonela. (Photo: Calvin Hui) SINGAPORE: Trade relations between Singapore and Africa are set to deepen, with several agreements signed on Wednesday (Aug 24) at the fourth edition of the Africa Singapore Business Forum. These include the signing of the Avoidance of Double Taxation (DTA) with Ethiopia, a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with Mozambique and an Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Nigeria. According to a joint press statement from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Finance, Ethiopia-Singapore DTA clarifies the taxing rights between both countries. This covers all forms of income flows from cross-border business activities and minimises double taxation of such income, they said. Meanwhile, the Mozambique-Singapore BIT is a legally binding agreement on how the Mozambique government should treat investments from Singapore, and vice versa. With this agreement, Singapore companies operating in Mozambique will enjoy protection on top of what is already accorded under the country's domestic laws. The Nigeria-Singapore ASA provides a framework to enable the establishment of air linkages between both countries, as airlines from both countries can operate an agreed number of passenger and cargo flights between Nigeria and Singapore, and beyond both countries. They were signed by Trade and Industry (Industry) Minister S Iswaran and respective representatives from the countries - Ethiopia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tedros Adhanom, Mozambique's Minister of Trade and Industry...

Dar es Salaam — A critical analysis to establish the reasons for a drop in cargo volume at the Dar es Salaam Port is underway, a top official has said. But Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) director general Deusdedit Kakoko gave no figures or possible causes for the decline. Nonetheless, he said in 2014/15 fiscal year the ports collectively handled 15,979,693 tonnes of cargo compared with 15,427,830 tonnes in 2013/14. The ports handled 4.732 tonnes of cargo destined to neighbouring countries during the same period and the authority collected Sh679, 316.95 and spent Sh464, 653.32. Meanwhile TPA is implementing 163 projects to raise the performance of ports and contributing immensely to economic development. According to Mr Kakoko, $690 million will be spent on Dar es Salaam Port projects. The money will be sourced through soft loans and grants. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development will offer a $600-million-soft loan while the UK's Department for International Development and Trade Mark East Africa will jointly offer a $30-million grant. The Tanzania government will contribute $60 million. The money will be spent on 10 schemes which include increasing berth depth to 14 metres covering berth number 1 to 11; increasing the number of scanners from three to five; building a new berth at the Gerezani Creek and two more at number 13 and 14 locations, deepening to 14 metres the port's gateway, installation of a conveyor system and silos, modernisation of railway network within the port, expansion of Bandari-Mivinjeni road and completion of...

Better roads promote trade and movement of people and goods, a reason why Africa must invest move in such facilities. (File photo) Africa has been touted as the new destination for investors. However, the continent still faces a myriad of challenges that hold back its potential, especially efforts aimed at improving business environment and alleviating poverty to ensure sustainable economic growth. That’s why Africa needs leaders who can tackle these challenges and translate them into opportunities to achieve the ‘Africa we want’ as per the theme of the recently-concluded 27th African Union summit in Kigali. Supportive policies and infrastructure that promote entrepreneurship and trade on the continent will play a critical role in helping the continent rise from the ‘ashes’ to achieve the African renaissance dreams proclaimed by the likes of former South African President Thabo Mbeki, experts say. According to Teddy Kaberuka, an economic analyst in Kigali, infrastructures, including transport, power and information and communication technologies (ICTs) facilities, are instrumental in supporting growth in the global economy. That’s the reason why African countries must prioritise infrastructure development to ensure sustainable economic growth on the continent. “The only way Africa can increase its production and strengthen its economy is by investing heavily in infrastructure development to support the production and ease access to markets and encourage intra-regional trade. Therefore, government must invest more in the energy, ICT and transport sectors because these are enablers of trade and development,” he said. “Without enough power, the continent’s production capacity will be affected,...

THE Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) is implementing 163 projects aimed at raising performance in all ports in the country. Basking in the glory of improved performance, TPA Director General, Engineer Deusdedit Kakoko told reporters in Dar es Salaam that the authority paid 80.1bn/- to the government in 2015/16: 40bn/- in form of corporate tax; VAT 37.4bn/- and withholding tax 2.7bn/-. “Dividend to the government this year was 93bn/- against our collected revenue amounting to 662bn/-,” he noted. He said performance up-lifting projects in Dar es Salaam port alone will cost 690m US dollars. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) will offer a 600-million dollar softloan; the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and Trade Mark East Africa will jointly offer 30-million US dollars grant and the Government will contribute 60 million US dollars. Eng. Kakoko said the money will be spent on ten schemes, which include increasing berth depth to 14 metres -- covering berths number 1 to 11; increasing scanners from three to five; building a new berth at Gerezani Creek and two more at number 13 and 14 locations, deepening to 14 metres the port’s gateway, installation of a conveyor system and silos, modernisation of the railway network within the port, expansion of Bandari-Mivinjeni Road and completion of a onestop centre building along Sokoine Drive. Tanga will get an oil jetty and storage tanks, he said, adding that designs and feasibility study for the proposed Mwambani Port will be launched in the near future. Mtwara Port...

By Peterson Tumwebaze The East African Community (EAC) needs a strong and uniform regulatory framework that promote financial inclusion to ensure sustainable growth in the region, experts say. Prof Lemma Senbet, from the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), said EAC should put in place clear systems that promotes financial inclusion to spur growth. He added that a regionally integrated financial system that also feeds into a global system will help strengthen the financial industry on the continent. He also noted that a strong linkage between the financial industry and other sectors of the economy is crucial for Africa. "It is important to have a globally competitive financial system and regulatory framework to ensure best practices," he added. He was speaking during a China-Africa Media Think Tank symposium in Mombasa, Kenya recently. Prof Humphrey Moshi, the Centre of Communication Skills at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, said there is need to create linkage between financial sector development and poverty alleviation, as well as employment creation. He said it is essential to develop the capacity of the financial sector to exploit its potential and contribute to the region's growth. "There is need to strengthen capacity of financial systems to perform multiple functions and not mere existence of the systems," he added. "Sub-Saharan African countries, including the EAC bloc, have undertaken a lot of economic and financial sector reforms over the last two decades, yet many still face a severe financial development gap compared to advanced and other developing economies," Prof...

Kenya's exports will be stung by EU import duties of up to 25 percent if talks are not concluded by 1 October. (Photo:Ninara) One of the main economic arguments used by Leave campaigners before the UK's referendum on EU membership in June was that the UK, freed from its EU shackles, would be able to cut its own bilateral trade deals entirely on its own terms, and much quicker than as part of the EU bloc. The UK will remain party to all EU trade agreements until it formally leaves the bloc, and cannot conduct any separate negotiations of its own. It hasn’t had to negotiate a trade deal for more than 40 years, which probably explained the Leavers’ optimism about how easy it would be. Trade negotiators are among the most world-weary of government officials. Not surprising really, when you spend years negotiating milk and cheese subsidies only to see a deal collapse when the politicians get involved. Two months after the referendum and the UK’s newly created international trade ministry is not launching any trade talks. Instead, it's embroiled in a turf war with the Foreign Office over who gets to handle economic diplomacy. Its officials don’t have their own building yet. But the UK is not the only one in limbo. October deadline A fortnight after the referendum, Tanzania and Uganda abandoned plans to sign a regional trade agreement between the East African Community (EAC) and the EU citing the political turmoil caused by the Brexit vote....

THE East African Community is reported to be in deep financial crisis as the Regional Parliament is resuming its session here this week to address the situation. The East African Legislative Assembly is embarking for its First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the Third Assembly which runs at the EALA chambers for twelve days, from this Monday, August 22, 2016 to next week’s Friday, September 2, 2016. EALA Spokesperson, Mr Bobi Odiko said here that the Assembly is to be presided over by the Speaker, Mr Daniel Kidega, with the top on the agenda during the two-week period being the debate on the Report of the Committee on Accounts on the EAC Audited Accounts for the Financial Year ended 30, June 2015. The report which examines and considers the EAC Audited accounts for the year ended 30, June 2015, arises from the audit of the EAC Organs and Institutions including 20 projects and Programmes and this in accordance with Article 134 of the Treaty for the Establishment of East African Community. “Upon completion of the audit, the EAC Council of Ministers tabled the Report of the Audit Commission to the House on 24, May 2016. The Audit Commission’s report which indicates that the overall budget performance stood at 65 per cent is set for debate at a time when the Community is facing a precarious funding situation,” said the EALA statement. The House is further expected to consider a Report of the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources...