Browsing: Tanzania

• Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa have entered into talks with a view to end a devastating trade war.
• Malawi, South Africa ease trade restrictions as Tanzania lifts retaliation ban on transit goods.
• Countries reaffirm their commitment to strengthening trade, and fostering economic cooperation.

Tanzania and Malawi have finally come to an amicable end to their trade war with authorities in the two countries burying the hatchet after bilateral discussions. The talks resulted in a Simplified Trade Regime Agreement (STRA) that covers South Africa, a regional trade powerhouse that was also caught in the line of fire between the two nations.

In a media communique released at the start of this month, Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe said previously instituted restrictions have now been suspended.

He said the two countries have reaffirmed a shared commitment to strengthening trade, fostering economic cooperation, and resolving what he described as ‘existing issues.’

The …

• Dar es Salaam hosts Egypt-Tanzania Business Conference.
• Trade mission comes in wake of Tanzania-Ethiopia energy pact.
• Trade mission organized by the Egyptian Export Council for Chemical Industries and Fertilizers.

In March, Egypt sent powerful business delegation to Tanzania for the inaugural Egypt-Tanzania Business Conference which was held in Dar es Salaam. Ambassador Sherif Ismail, Ambassador of the Arab Republic to Tanzania, inaugurated the event which he termed marked the beginning of a high ranking Egyptian trade mission to the East African country.

“The event was organized by the Egyptian Export Council for Chemical Industries and Fertilizers in collaboration with the Export Council for Building Materials, Refractories, and Metallurgical Commodities, and coordinated by the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS),” the press release issued at the event detailed.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Sherif Ismail cited “strategic importance of the forum in deepening economic and trade relations between Egypt and Tanzania.” Additionally, the …

• Tanzania’s avocado export volume up 74% to 26,826 tonnes in 2023.
• Exports of the super-fruit earned Tanzania $77.3 million in 2023 and projections show the country realized even more last year.
• Analysts say increased demand of the fruit is due to growing number of health conscious consumers.

The appeal of Tanzania’s avocado in key export markets globally is increasing as global demand for the super-fruit grows amid growing number of health conscious consumers. Health benefits of avocado consumption include improving digestion, lowering the risk of depression, and preventing bone loss, experts report and it is this knowledge that is driving global demand.

“Avocado exports from Tanzania have experienced a 74 per cent increase, rising from 15,432 tonnes in 2021 to 26,826 tonnes in 2023,” the latest report from the head of Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi.

Dr. Mkindi made the remarks at the avocado stakeholders’ conference recently in …

• Is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) serving only large but capital-strapped businesses?
• How can startups and SMEs benefit from the continental trade bloc?
• In Tanzania, an alliance of the AfDB and BOAT is set to offer credit guarantee to  SMEs keen on continental trade and expansion.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is the world’s largest free trade area by number of participating countries, second only to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Given it’s size and scope, the AfCFTA has the potential to bolster small business growth across the country and continent, comments economist Prof. Odiop Massaza.

The economics, however, raises a key question; ” Does this facility (AfCFTA) actually help small businesses grow or are the big ventures enjoying the benefits alone?” Prof. Massaza was speaking in a recent exclusive interview with The Exchange following the launch of a credit facility by the  African Development Bank …

• Tanzania is intensifying efforts to shift from subsistence to commercial agriculture by tripling its agriculture budget and investing in new grain storage infrastructure.
• Recently, President Samia Suluhu Hassan launched the construction of 28 rural warehouses and announced plans to boost national grain storage capacity to 3 million tonnes by 2030 to address food insecurity and reduce post-harvest losses.
• With an anticipated bumper maize harvest, Tanzania is also engaging regional trade opportunities while tightening export restrictions to protect local farmers and stabilize prices.

Tanzania has reiterated its commitment to transitioning from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. To achieve this ambitious goal, the country is scaling up its agricultural industry and is already anticipating a bumper harvest this season.

In line with this vision, Tanzania has significantly increased the budget for the Ministry of Agriculture. Notably, the ministry’s budget has tripled over the past three years—from 460 billion shillings (US$172 million) in …

• Precision Air, a Tanzanian airline, faces severe financial crisis, including a $26 million UK lawsuit over unpaid aircraft leases, government refusal for a bailout, and investor Kenya Airways reconsidering its stake.
• The airline is technically insolvent, with liabilities exceeding assets, massive losses, and struggles to repay debts, mirroring broader challenges in Africa’s aviation sector.
• Despite CEO optimism about recovery strategies, including cost-cutting and fleet upgrades, the airline’s future remains uncertain amid industry-wide turbulence and skeptical investors.

After years of reported financial problems, Tanzania’s Precision Air is now facing legal action in the UK with reports indicating that the Tanzanian government has rejected a bailout plea, and its key investor, Kenya Airways, is reconsidering its stake.

According to Global Trade Review, Export Development Canada (EDC)—a Canadian export credit agency—is suing Precision Air in the UK High Court over an unsettled debt of nearly $26 million from an aircraft financing agreement. The …

• Tanzania has officially introduced Prof. Mohamed Janabi for WHO Africa Director candidacy.
• Prof Janabi is a member of faculty at Medical University of South Carolina, USA, and has over 83 medical publications.
• He speaks at least four languages including Russian, and Japanese.

Professor Mohamed Janabi has been selected by Tanzania as the country’s candidate for the post of World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Region Director.

Prof Janabi is a member of faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina, USA, and is currently a special envoy to the Tanzanian President, as Senior Advisor on Health and Nutrition matters.

Following his nomination, he will be in the race to become the new WHO Africa Director following the death of regional director elect, Dr Faustine Ndugulile, on November 27, 2024.

The medic is a distinguished public health expert with  several decades of experience, and has held various senior positions in both …

• East Africa’s public transport sector, once synonymous with chaos and pollution, is now leading a quiet green revolution.
• From electric buses in Kenya to CNG-powered fleets in Tanzania, the region is ditching diesel for clean energy.
• Could this unexpected shift be the most defining leap to a sustainable future for urban mobility?

Across the populous cities and towns of East Africa, a quiet revolution is underway. The familiar roar of diesel engines is being replaced by the hum of electric buses, the whir of three-wheeled motorcycles, and the smooth glide of trains powered by clean energy.

Even Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is fueling fleets of buses and taxis, signaling a seismic shift as the region ditches oil for renewables. But here’s the twist: the unlikely hero of this green mobility transition isn’t high-tech startups, luxury carmakers or even woke government policymakers—it’s the public transport sector.

From Dar es Salaam to …

• Tanzania to import 100MW of electricity from Ethiopia via Kenya.
• Regional power pools enhance power trade and reliability.
• Power trade builds regional integration, diplomacy.

Power trade—the import and export of electricity—is expanding across East Africa, with Tanzania now set to import 100MW of energy from Ethiopia.

The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) will facilitate the import, aiming to reduce power losses and improve electricity distribution in the country’s Northern Zone. The government, in a recent statement, announced that this initiative aligns with Tanzania’s broader strategy to enhance energy efficiency and ensure a stable power supply nationwide.

By integrating into the regional power grid, Tanzania expects to optimize electricity distribution and minimize transmission losses. This move builds on previous power trade agreements with Zambia, Uganda, and Kenya, which have helped bridge energy shortages in border regions such as Rukwa, Kagera, and Tanga.

“This latest initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to …

• Tanzania has entered into an agreement to build a 5000 capacity conference centers in Arusha city.
• New facility named Mount Kilimanjaro International Conference Centre (MKICC) is projected to be operational in 2027.
• The project will cost $144.7 million (TSh385 billion) and features a hotel, helipad, and modern residential suites.

Tanzania is building what is projected to be East Africa’s largest and most modern conference facility, the Mount Kilimanjaro International Conference Centre (MKICC), in Arusha city. The memorandum of understanding for the construction of the MKICC was signed this week between the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) and the Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF) .

The project sign off was done by the Executive Director of AICC, Christine Mwakatobe, and the Director General of PSSSF, Abdul Razzaq Badru.

“The project is part of the government’s efforts to boost the country’s meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions in its tourism sector,” explains …