Tanzania explains reasons for delay in tripartite free trade area ratification

Tanzania explains reasons for delay in tripartite free trade area ratification

Dar es Salaam. The government has explained why it is yet to ratify a regional trade agreement that came into force yesterday, saying it’s completing domestic legal procedures.

The Comesa-EAC-Sadc Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) agreement commenced on July 25, 2024, with 14 out of the 29 member states endorsing it.

On Wednesday, the East African Community (EAC) announced that the agreement would come into force following the attainment of the required 14-member threshold.

Tanzania is among the countries that have not yet deposited their instruments of ratification, with the government saying efforts are being made to complete the government process to ratify the convention as early as possible.

Deputy minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Exaud Kigahe, told The Citizen that the agreements are pillars that provide benefits to Tanzania by expanding the markets for goods and services, developing industries, and collaborating on the construction of infrastructure to facilitate business.

“Due to the importance of the agreement, our country continues to complete the domestic procedures to ratify the agreement according to the requirements of our constitution, and this issue involves both sides of the union,” said Mr Kigahe.

According to him, while the internal process is ongoing, the ministry, in collaboration with stakeholders, continues to educate traders so they can take advantage of the opportunities in the profitable markets that promote trade.

However, Mr Kigahe admitted that more awareness is still needed as the number of Tanzanians participating in the regional markets is still low compared to other countries such as Kenya.

“We continue to urge traders to meet with our institutions that deal with quality issues and permits so they can be informed about the conditions to consider before starting to sell in these markets, as they have specific requirements and high competition,” he said.

Mr Kigahe noted that data about Tanzania’s participation in regional markets, such as the EAC, show that export sales to those countries have continued to rise, from Sh1.12 trillion in 2016 to Sh3.02 trillion last year.

Likewise, exports to SADC increased to Sh4.4 trillion last year from Sh2.6 trillion recorded in 2016. For the European Union (EU), export earnings also went up from Sh0.6 trillion in 2016 to Sh3.84 trillion last year.

However, analysts believe that much more needs to be done to reach small and medium entrepreneurs and help them seize opportunities in economic integration markets.

Prof Haruni Mapesa of Mzumbe University cited an example of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) market that has not been fully utilised by traders in the country because of a lack of knowledge on how to access them.

He said the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Ministry of Industry and Trade, and other institutes related to trade must have a communication unit that relays information about the markets by making them aware of taxes or charges that are waived.

“Some of the small businesses might be aware of the markets but lack knowledge on how to reach them or how beneficial they are due to a lack of information,” he said.

A senior lecturer at the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), Dr Abel Kinyondo, said the biggest challenge was capital inaccessibility.

“Small entrepreneurs face hurdles in accessing capital to produce quality products with quality packaging to compete in the markets,” he said.

He said the government needed to create a conducive environment to enable businesses to access loans to improve their products.

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Africa: Rwanda Gets a Grip Of Marburg, But Mpox ‘Not Yet Under Control’
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Africa: Rwanda Gets a Grip Of Marburg, But Mpox ‘Not Yet Under Control’

Africa: Rwanda Gets a Grip Of Marburg, But Mpox ‘Not Yet Under Control’

Monrovia — The Rwanda Minister of State responsible for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, cautioned that while the country is beginning to see positive signals in its fight against the Marburg virus, the outbreak is “not yet over”. He, however, expressed hope that  “we are headed in that direction”. The minister said the epidemiology trend, since the disease was first discovered in the country more than a month ago, is moving towards fewer cases.

Dr. Butera, who was giving updates during an online briefing yesterday, said in the past two weeks, only two deaths were recorded while 14 people recovered from the disease. He said Rwanda was expanding its testing capacity with 16,000 people already inoculated against the disease.

The priority right now, Butera said, is “rapid testing and detection”.

Marburg is a highly virulent disease transmitted through human-to-human contact or contact with an infected animal. The fatality rate of cases, which has varied over the period, is more than 50%, according to the World Health Organization.  WHO said the highest number of new confirmed cases in Rwanda were reported in the first two weeks of the outbreak. There’s been a “sharp decline” in the last few weeks, with the country now tackling over 60 cases.

At Thursday’s briefing, a senior official of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, said mpox – the other infectious disease outbreak that countries in the region are fighting – was been reported in 19 countries, with Mauritius being the latest country to confirm a case. He said although no new cases have been recorded in recent weeks in several countries where outbreaks occurred previously –  including Cameroon, South Africa, Guinea, and Gabon – Uganda confirmed its first Mpox death. This, he said, is one of two fatalities reported outside Central Africa.

Dr. Ngashi revealed that there was an increase in cases in Liberia and Uganda. He said mpox cases were still on an upward trend.

“The situation is not yet under control.”

Source: allafrica.com

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Tanzania: Exim to Raise Fund for Mental Health Facilities Upgrades
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Tanzania: Exim to Raise Fund for Mental Health Facilities Upgrades

Tanzania: Exim to Raise Fund for Mental Health Facilities Upgrades

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The bank’s Head of Marketing and Communications Stanley Kafu unveiled this when introducing Exim Bima Festival 2024 as a platform for bringing together individuals, organisations and various sectors for raising the funds.

“Exim’s initiative aligns with the government’s broader goals to ensure that every citizen has access to quality healthcare, including mental health services,” he said.

The initiative, which is one of the events for celebrating the bank’s 27th anniversary is scheduled for Wednesday this week in Dar es Salaam.

Mr Kafu highlights that this year’s festival is not only about raising awareness of the importance of insurance in the society but also focuses on enhancing access to mental health services and improving the overall well-being of the nation.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health shows a staggering 82 per cent increase in mental health cases over the past decade.

Mental cases have risen from 386,358 in 2012 to 2,102,726 in 2021, making the need for mental health services more urgent than ever.

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Unfortunately, the country’s ability to address this growing challenge is hindered by a shortage of mental health professionals, infrastructure, medical equipment and essential medication.

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Mr Kafu said by improving mental health services, Exim aims to contribute to the creation of a network of communities that can access care quickly and affordably.

Exim Insurance Department Manager Tike Mwakyoma said they are appreciating the support from partners in the insurance industry, who have stood by them since the last festival.

“Let’s continue this unity for the development of all Tanzanians and our nation as a whole,” the manager said.

Source: allafrica.com

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