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Central Bank of Kenya’s Monetary Policy Committee has lowered the Central Bank Rate for loans to 8.50 per cent from 9.00 per cent, despite the removal of interest rate capping in the country.

READ ALSO:Why Kenya’s Central Bank has retained base lending rate at 9%

The MPC met on November 25, 2019, to review the outcome of its previous policy decisions and recent economic developments.

The meeting came at the backdrop of a domestic macroeconomic stability, the recent repeal of interest rate caps, and heightened global uncertainties and volatility in international markets.

READ:No more lending controls in Kenya as rate cap ‘dies’

READ ALSO:World Bank, IMF biggest winners in Kenya’s interest rates cap repeal

The MPS which is chaired by CBK governor Patrick Njoroge however noted that month-on-month overall inflation remained well anchored within the target range in September and October 2019, largely due to relatively stable …

Recently, Africa has enjoyed a lot of global attention. Overtures from partners all over the world have been relentless. Africa has had summits with China, Japan and Russia.

To take stock of the importance or lack thereof, it is politic to look at Africa’s continental vision and how international relations could help to realise it. The transformation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) into the African Union (AU) was not a mere exercise in shorter nomenclature; it signalled a break from some of the imponderable challenges that Africa could not solve through the OAU.

The AU said it differs from the OAU because it envisages “an integrated, prosperous, equitable and well-governed and peaceful United States of Africa, effectively managed by its own citizens and representing a creative and dynamic force in the international arena”. The First Strategic Plan of Action Horizon 2007 was meant to shape strategic relations with …

Every month, Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway moves an average of 200 cargo trains from the coastal city of Mombasa to Nairobi’s inland container depot. With it, it moves at least 1,000 containers to Nairobi. This has left a bitter taste among residents of Mombasa, who have over the years depended on the undertakings around the port for jobs.

SGR, which has been billed as the biggest transport infrastructure project in the Kenya’s history, is expected to haul about nine million tonnes of cargo to make a profit of Sh5.08 billion a year, averaging Sh424 million per month, compared with 990,488 tonnes carried in the first year when SGR made a loss of Sh10 billion.

The SGR has so far made Sh10.9 billion from cargo and passenger business since it started operating, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ economic indicators report released in December 2018.

The cracks on the …

Global mobile giant Huawei has unveiled the DigiTruck project, in partnership with Belgium nonprofit organization Close the Gap, to provide digital skills training to rural and remote communities in Kenya. The DigiTruck is Huawei’s latest effort driving their digital inclusion initiative Tech4ALL.

With the rapid development of the global digital economy, the World Bank’s latest report points out that Southern Africa’s demand for digital skills in 2030 is as high as 230 million people, which is in stark contrast to the current prevailing lack of digital skills in Africa.

In Kenya, for example, despite being the ICT hub in Africa, Internet users account for less than 50% of the total population, not only because more than 75% of the population live in remote areas, lacking stable power supply, but also because many people do not realize the real value of digital skills, who have never been exposed to smartphones or …

The Japanese city of Yokohama prepares to host African leaders and business delegation during the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) will be held in Yokohama from 28th to 30th August 2019.

This is a Summit-level international conference on Africa’s development which was initiated by Japan since 1993. What is striking about TICAD is that rather than being a stage for bilateral relations between Japan and African countries, it uses a multilateral framework involving the participation of international organizations.

It is also broadly accessible to diverse stakeholders, including those from private enterprise, academia, and civil society, with the number of participants at TICAD VI held in Nairobi, Kenya exceeding 10,000. TICAD is also a place where African ownership is given serious regard.

In addition, follow-up meetings at ministerial level are held annually to enable the respective ministries to properly stay abreast of the status of ongoing projects resulting …

Russia has been striving quietly to become a major player in Africa starting with diplomatic efforts on African countries the Soviet Union supported in liberation struggles…

Africa’s total merchandise trade in 2018 had a value of over USD997.9 billion and the continent remained one of the fastest growing regions in the world during that time.…

Less than a fortnight after a thousand visitors from the Middle East toured Tanzania, the country has just received the first batch of expected 1,000 tourists from the Far East.

Landing at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) on Sunday 13^th May, 2019 evening, more than 350 tourists from China kicked off their itinerary by sampling Northern Zone attractions, including the Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti National Park.

They were received at the airport terminal by the Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, who described the entourage as yet another indication that Tanzania is becoming a lucrative destination for visitors and investors from overseas.

The 10,000 visitors from China will be touring Tanzania through the `Tour Africa – New Horizon` program coordinated by Touch Road International Holding Group, which in addition to opening doors for tourists from the Far East, is hatching a new initiative where some visitors are going to identify potential …

China`s economic miracle is a combination of several factors, including globalization, openness and cooperation, a prominent Chinese national stated.

Speaking during a high-level business talk in Dar es Salaam, board member, deputy secretary and member of the party committee at Moutai Group, Wang Yan, said 40 years ago, China was poorer than most African countries at present.

The business talk, which was graced by former Prime Minister, Mizengo Pinda held in Dar es Salaam, was part of the `Cultural Moutai, Colourful Guizhou` – China Kweichow Moutai Belt and Road Branding Initiative in Tanzania.`

The business talks also coincided with the launch of Moutai liquor in Tanzania.

`Africa is still developing. China`s development miracle from being the poorest country in the world to today has showcased the profound power globalization, openness and cooperation have over people`s lives……I remember vividly that over 40 years ago, the income of these families was extremely …

An uptick in diplomatic ties between Tanzania and Israel has started to bear socio-economic fruits, the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said.

The premier who saw off 274 tourists on the Israeli Airlines plane at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) over the weekend, pleaded  with the visitors to serve as Tanzania`s ambassadors back home.

Over 1,000 tourists from Israel were since April 20, this year, in the northern tourism circuit to sample various attractions in Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The first group of the tourists left on Friday night, the second, which was seen off by the Premier, flew on Saturday afternoon, the third on Saturday evening and the last on Saturday night.

Majaliwa invited members of the business community from Israel to invest in the tourism sector in the natural-resource rich Tanzania. He further asked the Israelis to consider coming back to visit Rubondo, Katavi and Ruaha …