Browsing: EAC

The situation is no better across the border in Kenya, since both countries are geographically on the Indian Ocean they are major international air and water transit locations for traffickers from Asia and Latin America to Europe and the Arabian Peninsula.

As is the case for Tanzania, the report also cites corruption as a central reason behind traffickers choice of ports. As a result Kenya is also a transit country that is quickly becoming a destination for a various of drugs and especially heroin and cocaine as well as drugs that are used to produce methamphetamine.

“Heroin originating from Southwest Asia enters Kenya both from direct shipping across the Indian Ocean via south Asia and, increasingly, from countries to the south, such as Tanzania and Mozambique. Most of the heroin entering Kenya is destined for international markets, principally Europe. Cocaine enters Kenya primarily via transshipment through Ethiopia from South America,” …

Private sector players in the region have expressed optimism in making steps towards the recovery of Covid-19.

This follows a commitment by the East African Community Secretariat to prioritize strengthening public-private sector partnerships between the private sector in the region and the EAC Partner States governments, to jointly invest in vaccine manufacturing in the region.

The EAC Secretary-General, Dr Peter Mathuki said that there was a need for a coordinated approach in handling COVID-19 in the region and emphasized the need for local production of vaccines.

“EAC is working on strengthening partnerships between the private sector and EAC Partner States’ governments, to jointly establish an investment in vaccine manufacturing, to ensure the region can produce and avail vaccines to East Africans. Truck drivers transporting goods across the region should also be included among the priority groups who need to be vaccinated,” Dr Mathuki said.

Mathuki also noted that the EAC …

Partner states of the East African region have been urged to fast-track the finalization and implementation of EAC regulations on liberalization of air transport services.

This is amid a finding which reveals that the high cost of air transport in the region is attributed by slow pace of liberalization.

According to the East African Business Council (EABC), liberalization of air transport services will lower flight costs and in turn reduce the cost of doing business in the region.

A finding by the latest policy paper by EABC dubbed, ‘Costs and Benefits of ‘Open Skies’ in the East African Community’, says that air-transport liberalization is set to lower flight costs by 9 percent and see a 41 percent increase in flight frequencies.

According to the paper, despite the commitments of the EAC Partner States at the international level, the domestic air transport sector remains protected, reducing accessibility and increasing air transport …

Kenya has been lauded for its decision to waive the requirement of obtaining a visa to enter the country by citizens of the Republic of South Sudan who hold valid passports.

In a statement, the East African Community (EAC) Secretary General, Dr. Peter Mathuki, said that the move was in line with the decision announced by the Chair of the EAC Heads of State, President Uhuru Kenyatta, during the 21st Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State held on 27th February, 2021.

“This demonstrates the goodwill among the EAC Heads of State in promoting regional integration and revamping relations, which is set to boost intra-EAC trade,” said Dr. Mathuki.

Other Partner States that have also waived visa requirements for South Sudanese citizens are the Republic of Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Dr. Mathuki lauded the Republic of South Sudan, which has in the spirit of reciprocity also …

The EAC bloc should urgently work to attract international investors and embark on joint regional investments in the vaccine manufacturing industry for quick economic recovery.

This is according to East African Business Council Chairman Nicholas Nesbitt who is calling for a coordinated approach on COVID-19 measures to spur EAC economic recovery and growth.

Nesbitt noted that joint EAC investment offers a larger pool of capital resources, expertise and market.

At the same time, EAC’s board has directed the EABC Secretariat to champion advocacy on the adoption of open skies and one network area to reduce the cost of doing business in the region.

The board said that open skies attract regional tourism and improve consolidation of EAC exports to overseas markets such as horticulture.

According to the board, open skies are also critical in supporting the resilience and recovery of tourism, hospitality and transport sectors, which were highly impacted by …

The construction of the Lagos-Abidjan Highway has the capacity to unlock 85 per cent of trade within the ECOWAS sub-region according to the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The Highway which is 1,028-km project will span across different countries which includes Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria -and traverse the economic capitals of the five coastal countries, starting from Abidjan and ending in Lagos, while equally straddling eight border crossings.

Lamin Barrow the Director-General of AfDB who represented Akinwumi Adesina the AfDB President appearing on Tuesday as a panelist at a one-day webinar to showcase the investment opportunities from the Federal Government of Nigeria’s reforms and privatization activities, said that while the Federal Government had spearheaded various reforms in the banking sector that enhanced the resilience of the financial system, there was a need to stay the course in completing the bold reforms initiated to restructure the energy sector.

Nigeria’s …

Business people in the East African Community are now set to benefit through prompt resolution and intervention of issues disrupting trade, following the launch of the EAC-EABC Technical Working group (TWG).

Based in Arusha Tanzania, the Technical Working Group launched by the East African Community (EAC) and East African Business Council (EABC) – the umbrella body bringing together private sector associations in East Africa- is tasked with receiving and synthesizing issues received from the private sector at various levels and advise on appropriate solutions.

A statement by the EAC-EABC has revealed that the team will be chaired by EAC Director General for Customs and Trade, Kenneth Bagamuhunda and co-chaired by EABC CEO John Bosco Kalisa. It will also entail members from the national apex private sector associations in the EAC region.

The team will be responsible for following up on challenges disrupting intra-EAC trade raised by businesses and support their …

The SADC Chairperson who is also the President of the Republic of Mozambique, His Excellency Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, says the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has made significant progress in strengthening its efforts to integrate its economies and promote peace and security among the member states.

Speaking in the foreword to the SADC 40^th anniversary publication titled, 40 Years of SADC of Enhancing Regional Cooperation and Integration a publication that brings to light the history of SADC and key achievements that the Region has made since 1980, The SADC Chairperson Filipe Nyusi said the bloc also takes the opportunity to hail its founders and thank them for their vision, dedication, courage and values, which the Region has inherited.

The publication that was launched in Maputo, Mozambique, on June 23^rd, 2021 during the Extraordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government was Published by the SADC Secretariat …

EAC Partner States have begun the 2021/2022 financial year with a focus on economic recovery through industrialization and inclusive growth.

This comes at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has had adverse effects on economies across the region and worldwide.

Data by Deloitte indicates that the outbreak led to disruption in the various sectors, most notably the financial industry and the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Additional data by UNECA adds that the effect of the pandemic on growth in Eastern Africa has been heterogeneous. The organization added that the impact has been more severe for countries dependent on tourism.

Kenya’s Principal Secretary for EAC, Dr. Kevit Desai, said that the region was putting in place strategies to ensure economic recovery in all Partner States from the destructive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a region, we have witnessed the devastation created within the economies of the Partner States, including the …

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