President John Magufuli has assured his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni of full cooperation in accomplishing the construction of crude oil export pipeline from Hoima District in Uganda to the Indian Ocean port of Tanga. According to a press statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communications, Dr Magufuli made the assurance in Kampala during his talks with the Ugandan leader. He arrived in Uganda to attend President Museveni's inauguration slated for Thursday. At the Entebbe International Airport, he was received by Ugandan Works and Transport Minister John Byabagambi and Uganda's High Commissioner to Tanzania, Ms Dorothy Samali Hyuha. Uganda's Assistant Inspector-General of Police Andrew Felix Kawesi was also present at the airport to receive the Tanzanian leader. Dr Magufuli is popular in Uganda for the radical changes he has embraced in Tanzania, including spearheading the fight against corruption, since he took over office late last year. He joins two other dignitaries, King Letsie III of Lesotho and the Prime Minister of Swaziland, Dr Barnabas Dlamini, who arrived in Uganda on Tuesday evening. He then headed to State House Entebbe for an official welcoming ceremony. This is the second time for Dr Magufuli to travel outside the country since becoming president. He first travelled to Rwanda last month. President Museveni recently endorsed his country's decision to construct the pipeline through Tanzania during the 13th Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) Summit in Kampala, which was also attended by President Paul Kagame and Uhuru Kenyatta of Rwanda and Kenya, respectively. The envisaged pipeline...

The chief executive officer of the Private Sector Federation (PSF), Stephen Ruzibiza, has said doors for business relations between Rwandan and Tanzania business communities are now open. Ruzibiza made the remarks during the preparations to host the first Tanzania Rwanda Trade Forum (TRTF) early this month. TRTF is expected to facilitate both countries boost trade. "We have to increase exports, promote cross-border trade and investment more in Tanzania," Ruzibiza said. The forum, to be held under the theme: 'Strengthening Bilateral and Trade Investment Opportunities,' is being organized by PSF, Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA); Tanzania Trade Development Authority (Tantrade) and Tanzania Truck owners Association (Tatoa). The event aims to assemble over 100 key business players from Tanzania and Rwanda's private sectors, as well as policymakers from both governments. "Rwanda and Tanzania have a firm commitment to increase trade and cooperation through their joint membership with East African Community (EAC). There is a conducive environment for trade and we encourage Rwandans to use it," says Ruzibiza. He mentions the Rusumo one-stop border post which will soon operate for 24 hours, and Dar es Salaam port as opportunities to be exploited. According to the ministry of East African Community (MINEAC), TRTF comes at the heels of renewed political ties between both Rwanda and Tanzania following the inauguration of President John Pombe Magufuli. Magufuli's first maiden trip outside Tanzania was to Rwanda on the invitation of President Paul Kagame. The two presidents officially opened the Rusumo one-stop border post and...

While Europe is on the verge of breaking up, Africa is reaping the benefits of integrating, growing and developing its trading blocks The collapse of virtual borders is one of the most remarkable things to have happened in our lifetimes. In the world of cyberspace, time and distance have become almost peripheral considerations when it comes to doing business. Services from software development to accounting can be delivered across the world in the blink of an eye. Future business leaders will struggle to imagine an era when communication was neither immediate nor virtually free. But in the physical world, integration between and even within countries has happened at a much slower pace. In some regions, high freight costs are made worse by antiquated working practices, such as demanding cash deposits of $1,000 to $5,000 instead of accepting insurance. At too many borders, goods still hang around and wait needlessly, raising costs and hurting business competitiveness. There are plenty of successful examples of regional economic integration, from Europe’s single market to, increasingly, the East African Community (EAC), the fastest growing bloc on the African continent. But for every success there is a graveyard of stalled or stunted regional initiatives to remove barriers to trade and investment. This is unfortunate, because for many smaller economies, especially landlocked ones, regional integration is not a policy option, it’s a necessity. Building trade blocs with neighbouring countries can help small countries to get access to ports. It can help them achieve economies of scale, facilitate...

DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA - For the past year, the European Union Business Group (EUBG) has been in the middle of encouraging commercial links between business people in the European Union and Tanzania as a way to boost economic relations, including highlighting new investment opportunities. “The formation of 70 private sector members is not an easy task and EUBG deserves accolades, as this evolves to trade and investment, making Tanzanians attain better lives,” Prof. Adolf Mkenda, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade Industry and Investment said recently. This was during an event to mark the first anniversary of EUBG in Tanzania Morten Juul, the EUBG Chairman  said: “Other achievements are to build a strong relationship with valued partners namely Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC), Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) and fellow National business groups, formed a network of 70 private sector companies representing 12 European Union (EU) countries across 20 sectors of industry.” He said the EUBG has hosted a variety of workshops, seminars and networking events supporting the private sector in Tanzania to appreciate and comply with legislation including a dialogue with TRA and the provision of inputs into the annual budget and started a network in northern Tanzania Arusha and Moshi regions to give support beyond Dar es Salaam. According to Juul these achievements include the building of a strong relationship and dialogue with key institutions such as Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Ministry of Finance, Immigration and Labour. Speaking on the same occasion, Ambassador Roeland van...

It probable that among the 1,200 visitors due in Kigali for the World Economic Forum for Africa (WEF 2016) this week, many will be surprised that they can hop over to either Kenya or Uganda using the same visa. The visa goes for only $100 and more convenient than before when one had to tackle each country’s immigration singularly. Now with the one visa, it allows access to the three countries for up to 90 days. The visa can be bought at the point of entry into any of these countries. For those who are interested in visiting one of the East African countries only, the fee will remain at $50 for Uganda and Kenya, and $30 for Rwanda. This is a great opportunity to tout the merits of the East African Single Visa launched two years ago and currently incorporating Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Burundi and Tanzania have more than once indicated a strong interest to join the club. The East African Community (EAC) sees itself moving towards a common agenda and by showing visitors the convenience of the Single Visa, they may just become more intrigued into investing in the region. If not right way, but at least take the time to go out and look about for opportunities. However even if their sole aim is to relax after the Forum, the tourism receipts will be much appreciated. Hosting international conferences is a very serious business. A host of cities around the world including Las Vegas, Vienna, Geneva,...

TradeMake East Africa (TMA) through the Logistics Innovation for Trade (LIFT), a development finance instrument that provides grant finance for innovative business projects proposed by the private sector operating in the transport and logistics sector in East African, has secured $7.6 million for Round 2 funding. In an interview DAVID MITCHELL, LIFT Fund Manager tells Sam Okwakol, how and what one needs to do in order to benefit from the Fund.  QUESTION: Briefly explain, what LIFT is to an ordinary reader? ANSWER: LIFT is a challenge fund that rewards innovation ideas/project in the logistics and transport sector within the East African Community with grant funding. LIFT funds innovative logistics projects (not companies) ideas that provide sustainable solutions with measurable socio-economic impacts. Funds are provided by means of grants, matching applicants funding up to $1 million (LIFT contribution) per project. Why did you choose this approach in implementing LIFT? This is a historic idea which has been used successfully in different parts of the world. We have adopted it to harness the potential and energies of individuals in the private sector to derive solutions that can reduce the logistical and transport challenges facing the region. East Africa has well educated people with good ideas, can do research and most of all care about the development of their countries. Therefore capturing their potential will help us find solutions to reduce transit time and transport cost challenges faced by the logistical and transport sector, while at the same time helping in reducing the...

NAIROBI.- The African Union (AU) said on Saturday it has started the process of issuing the continent’s passport. Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Amina Mohamed told a briefing in Nairobi that African Ministers of Foreign Affairs have began filling in the forms for the Africa passport, which will be issued at the AU summit in July. “I have the honour to inform you that in line with the decisions of the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government to facilitate free movement throughout the continent, through the creation of (an) African passport for heads of states and ministers, the issuance process commenced on Friday,” Mohamed said on the sidelines of the Fourth AU Executive Council Retreat. This is the first time the retreat is being held in Kenya as previous ones were hosted by South Africa and Ethiopia. African passport holders should receive a 30-day visa on arrival at all airports in AU member states. Mohamed said that regional economic blocs such as the East African Community have already introduced a regional passport to ease travel within the blocs. “The African passport will build on the success achieved by the trading blocs and help to achieve the dream of free movement of Africans across the continent,” she said. The cabinet ecretary noted that the continental passport will help to speed up the process of establishment of the Africa Economic Community. “It will also boost intra-Africa trade that is below the level of other continents,”...

African countries can boost growth by cutting tariffs and removing "soft" barriers to trade, while still supporting their industries without completely protecting them. Imagine you are a Malaysian truck driver. In the back of your truck is a big cargo of stinking durian fruit. The Singaporean border heaves into view. What will happen? Will you pull over and fill out some paperwork? Wait around to get the documents stamped – hours spent in the sun – with your precious durian rotting in the back? Of course not. Africa needs to realise that its future lies within the continent You whip out your smartphone and send your pre-filled cargo passage form. It is immediately routed through the relevant ministries in Singapore. The authorities e-stamp the form and send it back to your smartphone. Beep. Job done. No need to stop. You don't even need to slow down. Welcome to Singapore. The benefits of frictionless trading with neighbours seem clear. The farmer buys more inputs with the money saved on transporters, and the consumer gets fruit cheaper, allowing him to spend more on other items and boost the economy. The trucker also has more time to carry other loads. Africa is not quite there yet, and border crossings often involve waiting. Of Africa's total trade, just 11% of it is done within Africa, compared to 50% intraregional trade in developing Asia and 70% in Europe. The world economy is going through a period of slower growth, just as tens of millions of young Africans...

The World Bank has assured it will work with the East African Community (EAC) partner states to help the economic community achieve full integration. The World Bank programme Manager for South Sudan, Jean Lubega-Kyazze told Xinhua in Nairobi that the project will begin before the end of 2016 and will take three years to complete. She explained that the project aims at helping the EAC overcome the constraints that have prevented full implementation of the EAC Common Market protocol. “We have identified the constraints that each country needs to overcome in order for the EAC to be fully integrated. Each country is unique and therefore has different constraints,” she added. According to the financial institution, regional integration holds a lot of promise for the partner states. “It will create a seamless market for goods produced in each member state,” Lubega said. The programme manager observed that one of the key constraints to full integration is the lack of integration of regional policies into national policies. “So national policies don’t reflect what has been agreed upon at the EAC level and it is common to find cases where national policies don’t include positions reached upon at the regional level,” she added. EAC Common Market Protocol was signed in 2010 but the trading block is yet to fully liberalize the free movement of goods, services and labour. EAC member states include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and Burundi. Source: Africa News

THE Nakonde–Tunduma Border Post has for a long time faced various difficulties which have hindered the effective revenue collection by authorities in both Zambia and Tanzania. The border post collects an average of K4.6 million per day or K138 million per month, making it the second largest revenue generating border after Chirundu which collects about K220 million per month. In an effort to resolve these challenges, officials from the two countries recently met in Nakonde to discuss and find ways of improving the operations of the border post. Some of the problems that needed urgent attention include the porosity and illegal trade along the border and the construction of structures for the One Stop Border Post on the Tanzanian side. Other obstacles are reduction in clearance time, curbing revenue collection leakages, counterfeit travel documents and operational challenges of Zambian truckers having difficulties on the Tanzanian side and buses from Tanzania that are not allowed on the Zambian side. In October 2014, a meeting of permanent secretaries and high commissioners from the two countries was held in Mbeya, Tanzania, to discuss operational difficulties at Tunduma-Nakonde Border Post. And following the 2014 meeting, about 100 delegates from Tanzania and Zambia convened in Nakonde recently to formulate a mechanism that will help the two countries harmonise their trade activities. And during the adoption of the minutes for the Sixth Joint Meeting of Permanent Secretaries of Zambia and Tanzania held on April 27 this year, it was agreed that there is need for both...