NAIROBI, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Japan is expected to use the sixth Tokyo International Conference of Africa's Development slated for Nairobi, Kenya this week to boost trade relations between the nation and the continent at a time when it is trailing behind its Asian peers. According to data released Monday by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), while Japan's monthly exports to Kenya average 67.4 million U.S. dollars, India ships into the East African nation goods worth 193 million dollars and China's exports stand at 233 million dollars. In the January-May period, according to the KNBS data, Japan's exports to Kenya stood at 339 million dollars. During the same period, India was recorded at 965 million dollars while China at 1.2 billion dollars, according to the government agency. Japan's top exports to Kenya consist of iron and steel products and motor vehicles. "This conference will bring both immediate and long-term benefits to both Kenya and Japan. We expect to strengthen existing bilateral relations with Japan," said Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri. The East African nation is also expected to push for direct flights between Tokyo and Nairobi to boost its exports to the Asian nation. Source: Xinhuanet

IN SUMMARY A new report by Uganda’s Ministry of East African Affairs blames this on lack of resources, which saw the bloc postpone the establishment of East African Monetary Institute (EAMI)—a precondition for having a single currency by 2024 — from 2015 to a yet to be announced date. The East African Community’s dream of a monetary union and a single currency may not be realised by the 2024 deadline. A new report by Uganda’s Ministry of East African Affairs blames this on lack of resources, which saw the bloc postpone the establishment of East African Monetary Institute (EAMI)—a precondition for having a single currency by 2024 — from 2015 to a yet to be announced date. Now, without the money for the EAMI, which will evolve into the East African Central Bank, the region is taking the longer route — that of the East African Legislative Assembly. According to the East African Monetary Union roadmap, the EAMI was to be established by partner states — and not EALA. Draft Bills EAC spokesperson Richard Othieno Owora said the bloc is trying to establish EAMI through an EALA Act even though this will delay other institutions needed for EAMU to begin working. These include the East African Statistics Bureau, the East African Surveillance, Compliance and Enforcement Commission, and the East African Financial Services Commission. “So far, the draft Bills for the establishment of the EAMI, the EASB, and EASCEC have been developed and negotiated by partner states,” Mr Owora said. He...

By Nestory Ngwega THE government is in plans to widen the scope of companies importing oil in the country in order to create business competitiveness environment that will necessitate reducing the price of oil. The statement was made here yesterday by the Minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo when he visited GBP Oil Company in Tanga city. He said currently the price of oil in Tanzania is still higher in comparison with the price of the same commodity in other neighboring countries despite the fact that they all buy oil from the same world market at the same price. He said following the research conducted by an expert from the ministry aimed at finding out why the price of oil in the country is higher, they came up with the resolution that the government has been working on it. According to Prof Muhongo, the finding established that oil price in Tanzania is higher because of the few number of companies which import the commodity, something which reduces the competition in terms of price setting. "You know in Tanzania we have few oil importing companies... they are four companies only...and if the companies are few, it is easy to collude and set the same price...but if we add more companies to compete, even the price will go down and this is what we have learned from our neighbors," he said. He further said following such study, the government is now planning to give oil importing licenses to many companies...

In an ambition to nourish an effective nationwide integration within the East-African bloc, the East-African Community - Youth Ambassadors Platform-Burundi Chapter, collaboratively with the Ministry at the Office of the President in Charge of East African Community Affairs, organizes a national debate on EAC integration under the theme: "YOUTH EMBRACING THE EAC INTEGRATION". The East African Community (EAC) is the regional intergovernmental organization of the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania and South Soudan, with its Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. South Soudan joined the community early in 2016 following Burundi and Rwanda which joined EAC on 1st July 2007. The youth of East Africa are important stakeholders in the EAC processes and form substantial part of the population. Article 120 (c) of the EAC Treaty provides for adoption of a common approach for involvement of the youth in the integration process through education, training and mainstreaming youth issues into EAC policies, programs and projects as one of the strategic interventions towards the realization of a fully integrated Community. The debate is to take place at National Institute of Public Health, commonly known as INSP, respectively on august, 20th 2016 and august, 27th with a final debate to be held on September, 10th. The debate will engage young people from partaking universities (University of Burundi, Ecole Normale Supérieure, INSP, Université Lumière, Université des Grands Lacs and ISMR) in a battle of opinions with the focus on enhancing the "East-Africanity" awareness among the youth for a functional...

By Zephania Ubwani News@tz.nationmedia.com Arusha — Prof Humphrey Moshi of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) is one academician who would often argue constructively on a number of topical issues touching the country's economy and beyond with a bit of flexibility. That is why he minced no words when recently reached for comment on the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) which Tanzania declined to sign recently in Nairobi during a UN Conference on Development and Trade (Unctad) as had been expected alongside with some member countries of the East African Community (EAC). "This is a very pragmatic decision by government of the United Republic of Tanzania," he told The Citizen saying for a long time he had been advising not only Tanzania but all the EAC partner states not to sign the agreements for a number of reasons. "One; If we want to industrialise, then the agreements contradict our aspirations for that agenda. Two; Opening our economies to products from the European Union (EU) would kill even the small scale productive activities such as animal and chicken husbandry given that local products such as milk and eggs can hardly compete with the imported ones," he said. The economics professor went further by revisiting the colonial and post-colonial trade pattern between Africa and EU, saying it will persist by signing EPA, making Africa - and in this case the EAC - remain a perpetually source of raw materials while Europe will continue to be a source of industrial goods - for...

IN SUMMARY Companies that are export-ready and are motivated and willing to export helps them penetrate markets and make good sales, leading to business growth. However such initiatives have to collaborate with the government agencies responsible for promoting exports as that makes interventions sustainable. Over the past few years, the East African Community has made notable strides towards regional integration. Milestones such as the coming into force of the East African Customs Union, the establishment of the Common Market in 2010 and the implementation of the East African Monetary Union Protocol have all served to facilitate trade among member states. The volume of trade, however, has not grown at the envisioned rate, with some countries still having to play catch-up. Intra-EAC trading fell from $5.8 billion in 2013 to $5.6 billion in 2014. Even with this scenario, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania continued to dominate regional trade as Burundi and Rwanda lagged behind. Overall, the share of intra-EAC trade, the region’s total trade fell to 10.1 per cent from 11.1 per cent in the same period, attesting to the existing imbalance in trade volumes among member states. Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that Kenya’s combined exports to Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda declined from $69.9 million in January to $1.56 million in February, before rising to $88.8 million in March this year. Another study by Kenya’s Ministry of EAC in 2015 revealed that the Kenya’s exports to the EAC countries declined sharply. It attributed this to stiff competition from cheap...

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 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...