Tanzania, JICA sign deal to enhance country’s startup ecosystem

Tanzania, JICA sign deal to enhance country’s startup ecosystem

Dar es Salaam. Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Tanzania government have signed a major agreement aimed at enhancing the country’s startup ecosystem to significantly support small innovative businesses.

The initiative is part of the larger “Project for Startup Ecosystem Enhancement in the Eastern African Region,” which was requested by the Tanzanian government in July 2023.

The agreement was signed on Friday, September 13, 2024, by the ICT Commission on behalf of the Ministry of Information, Communication, and Information Technology (MICIT) and Jica.

Speaking during the event, ICT Commission Director General, Dr Nkundwe Mwasaga, expressed his confidence in the project’s long-term impact.

“We are excited about today’s agreement and expect the project to deliver significant benefits and promote efficiency in the startup ecosystem in the country,” he said.

Jica’s senior assistant director for the Private Sector Development Group, Economic Development Department in Tokyo, Mr Mukai Naoto, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with the Tanzanian government.

“Jica is committed to collaborating with the Tanzanian government to address startup ecosystem challenges and ensure that the project yields results that benefit the country and its people,” said Mr Mukai.

The project is set to be launched in 2025 and span for three years, will focus on supporting MICIT in developing a comprehensive master plan.

The master plan will include steps for nurturing innovative startups, creating a favourable ecosystem for growth, and building capacity within the startup community.

Additionally, the initiative will oversee the implementation of pilot projects that support innovation, as well as capacity-building programmes for key players in the startup ecosystem.

The project will also review existing startup-related policies and legislation and provide recommendations for improvement, aimed at better supporting entrepreneurs.

The partnership between Jica and MICIT is expected to not only strengthen Tanzania’s startup ecosystem but also foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, placing the country at the forefront of regional technological advancement.

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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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