Author: Giza Mdoe

Tanzania and Rwanda are warming up to set up second official border post. Currently, Rwanda is the third largest user of Dar es Salaam port. More than 80% of Rwanda’s cargo goes through the port of Dar es Salaam. The push to foster EAC integration appears to be moving in a positive direction with Tanzania and Rwanda taking steps to enhance one of East Africa Community (EAC) pivotal goal, regional trade. A top Tanzanian envoy has announced plans to open a new border post with Rwanda, as part of ongoing measures between the two countries to scale up the movement…

Questions are lingering about US food aid to Tanzania that targets schools, with critics terming it unnecessary. US food aid to Tanzania has been ongoing for the past decade. Tanzania now wants the US to buy the food from Tanzanian farmers and fortify it in public. An ongoing program of US food aid to Tanzania has come under sharp scrutiny after the public in East Africa’s second largest economy took to social media condemning the support from the American people. At the moment, X (formally Twitter) is awash with Tanzanians and its thousands of nationals in the diaspora questioning the…

Africa is loosing out on bad minerals for loan deals, AfDB warns. AfDB is developing initiatives to  help countries’ address the bad loans. China alleged to be the leader in bad minerals for loan deals with Africa. Africa’s natural resources are being traded for loans from international lenders and that is why the continent is underdeveloped, the Head of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has decried.   In an interview with The Associated Press in Lagos, Nigeria, Dr Adesina called for an end to “loans given in exchange for the continent’s rich supplies of oil or critical minerals…

Tanzania is reviewing key business development laws to boost investments. One of the laws under review is the Companies Act and the Business Names (Registration) Act. Amended laws are set to create a more conducive investment environment. The Tanzania business environment is expected to improve to a great deal thanks to ongoing efforts to amend non-conducive business laws. It is expected that the business law amendment will serve to help the country attract investors by improving its business environment, the government has announced. The government of Tanzania has made public its intention to review key laws in the country, including…

Tanzania’s population is expected to reach 140 million people by 2050. The World Bank estimates that Tanzania’s population will double every 23 years. Tanzania set to become one of Africa’s and the world’s most populated countries. Tanzania’s population is expected to reach 140 million people by 2050 given the current high fertility rate of 3.0 per cent. At this rate, the World Bank estimates that Tanzania’s population will double every 23 years henceforth. In its latest Tanzania Economic Update that was launched in the country’s port city of Dar es Salaam this March, the World Bank says when it comes…

As national debts grow, many African countries find themselves spending more on debt than on health. IMF says the debt ratio in Sub-Saharan Africa surged to 60% from 30% of the countries’ GDP between 2013 and December 2022. Kenya is for instance using nearly 60% of its annual revenues on paying debt obligations. As the Africa debt crisis roils, over half of the countries have found themselves spending more money in servicing their loan obligations than even the amount they have budgeted for health services to their citizens. This unfolding scenario is further burdening millions of their citizens who have…

The IMF has issued Uganda $120 million as part of its Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement to aid recovery. Total disbursement to Uganda under the ECF Arrangement now reaches $870 million. IMF urges Uganda to give its Central Bank independence  Kampala is set to receive $120 million as part of its Extended Credit Facility (ECF) Arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to aid Uganda’s economic recovery amidst various challenges, including backlash due to a harsh anti-LGBTQ law. The IMF executive board has approved immediate disbursement of the said amount after the conclusion of its fifth review of Uganda’s ECF…

Agriculture is one of the leading causes of climate change. Without action, emissions from food systems will rise even further, with increasing food production. Climate-smart agriculture offers a holistic approach to end food security. It may surprise many that agriculture and its activities are, in fact, one of the leading causes of climate change. Agriculture is reported to be responsible for some of the highest emissions of greenhouse gases, making the sector one of the main contributors to global warming. It strikes the environment with a double-edged sword, emitting greenhouse gases on one hand and destroying forests and marine ecosystems…

Irrigation in Africa has the potential to essentially double agricultural productivity. In Sub-Saharan Africa, irrigation is a key factor in achieving food security, yet it remains vastly under-utilised. FAO advises that each African country assess its irrigation potential as the basis for planning sustainable food production. Irrigation in Africa has the potential to essentially double agricultural productivity, boosting output by up to 50 per cent. This optimistic evaluation is provided by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). However, even with this potential, FAO shares concerns that it is vastly underutilized, with agriculture in Africa remaining predominantly rain-fed. “Although irrigation…

Tanzania to earn $400 million annually from tobacco export/sells. The country now ranks second largest tobacco producer in Africa after Zimbabwe. Tobacco has no known health benefit. On the contrary, it causes disease, disability and premature death. Over 6 million people die globally every year from tobacco-related illnesses. Tanzania has been ranked as the second-largest producer of tobacco in Africa, falling behind only neighboring Zimbabwe, even as tobacco’s toll worsens globally. The ranking comes after a bumper harvest in the year 2022/2023, as announced by Tanzania’s Minister for Agriculture, Hussein Bashe. According to the minister, the country’s tobacco production has…