Browsing: Doing business in East Africa

Kenya-Tanzania trade relations: What next under new leadership 

Tanzania

Unification is the key to success in the 21st century. This can be seen with the advent of development pacts across the world, particularly the G5, G20, and SADC (Southern African Development Community) to mention a few. 

According to the Kenya High Commission in Dar es Salaam, Kenya and Tanzania have maintained close relations over many years founded on similar ideas in areas such as the rule of law, fundamental freedoms, social and economic order, and good governance, and with a special focus on economic and financial market issues. …

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Adapting to change: measures for increased efficacy in business operations

Business

According to the United Nations International Labour Organisation (ILO), reduced working hours or job losses as a result of COVID-19 crisis cost the world approximately 255 million jobs in 2020.

Although the full economic impact of the current crisis is still not entirely understood, many people have suffered one blow or another as a result of the pandemic.…

East African Trends: Doing business in the region

Business

The East African region is a vast region with massive resources, population, and an established commercial landscape that presents viable business opportunities for external investors. According to statistics both by the World Bank and IMF, the region was one of the fastest-growing in Africa with a high influx of foreign direct investments.

In the 2019 report, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) noted that the East African region including Ethiopia received $9 Billion in foreign direct investment with projections of this figure doubling over time. However, the effects of the Covid-19 has had a great effect both on the economic growth as well as the number of foreign investments into the region.

The African Development Bank, in its analysis of the effects of Covid-19, highlighted the rebound of the East African economy as one of the main points of observation of the continent's resilience. GDP growth for 2020

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How can a circular economy contribute to food security in East Africa? 

East Africa

During the last decade much has been said about the urgency to develop the African agricultural sector to meet the increasing need for food security across the continent. Frequently it is stressed that Africa largely missed the “Green Revolution” since the continent’s agriculture sector did not transform into an intensive arena with modern technologies to increase the crop yield significantly1.

Until today the East African agricultural sector is dominated for 75% by smallholder farmers that apply low farming inputs, traditional technologies and methods, while agriculture remains the backbone of the economy2. This article discusses a reason for optimism, and how a circular economy (aims close the loop of resources through the establishment of restorative and regenerative systems), can contribute to food security and food productivity in East Africa.

Also Read: Food security: Opening markets for smallholder farmers  

Africa missed the Green revolution; an opportunity to implement …

East African Trends: Pulling apart 

East Africa

The East African Community (EAC) has spent twenty years of integration and admitted new members in the process.  EAC Partner States signed the Protocol in November 2009, and it came into force on 1 July 2010. The common market is the first of its kind in Africa. The internal EAC market has about 146 million consumers. 

This second offering, after the initial community collapsed in 1977 has worked to learn from the mistakes of the past community. However, as things change, the more they have remained the same.  

There have been tensions between countries at different periods of time, some threatening the very core that set forth the community. Kenya has been at constant feud with Tanzania, Uganda has been also at loggerheads with Rwanda while Burundi has accused Rwanda of meddling in its affairs.  

Overall trade disputes are now increasing in East Africa.  Uganda’s trade

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Ethiopia industrial parks earn $103 mil in 9 months.

Countries

The Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) announced that the country earned $103 million from export generated by industrial parks. The gain is a 40 percent increment compared to last year’s performance recorded at the same period.

According to Abebe Abebayehu, Ethiopia Investment Commissioner, 70 percent of the planned earning from industrial parks during  the stated period had been accomplished. He further noted that footwear and other leather products, as well as textile and apparel have been exported to Europe, USA, Asia and other export destinations. Statistics from Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) ranks Ethiopia the 5th in the world and number one in Africa with the most cattle inventory.

Mr. Abebe, stating that industrial parks across the country have created employment for over 70,000 workers, said Ethiopia has been able to attract . (https://restorehealthky.com) 5 billion foreign direct investment in the mentioned nine months.

However, the commissioner said, …

Emerging Trends of Islamic Banking and Finance Industry in CIS Countries

Opinion

The total volume of Islamic Banking and Finance has been exceeded $2.6 trillion globally. The growth of the Islamic banking and finance volume in different continents and regions is continuous with the positive node but sometime its vary region to region.

Due to the reason, about 2,500+ Islamic banking and financial institutions are working in every region including both Muslims and non-Muslim countries. In the current era, Islamic banking and finance started in 1960s from Egypt and Malaysia and dramatically spread over the Middle East, Africa, Europe and other regions.

The growth of this phenomenon swiftly increased in Middle East, South and East Asia whereas, in some regions, the growth of the industry was comparatively slow as in Northern African (Tunis, Morocco, Algeria etc.), Central Asian and Balkan countries. But keeping in view the Islamic banking and finance industry initiative was taken very late in Commonwealth Independent States (CIS) countries …