Latest news with #EastAfricanCommunity
Zawya
20 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
EAC harmonises tax on alcohol, differ on fuel and tobacco
The East African Community (EAC) has agreed to harmonise excise duty to be levied on alcohol, amid a push by the International Monetary Fund. But they disagreed on excise duties on tobacco and other nicotine products, non-alcoholic beverages, and fossil fuels. The bloc is looking to create a more unified market, reduce smuggling and prevent distortions caused by differing excise duty rates. The move approved by EAC Council of Ministers in 2019 but is yet to be fully implemented. Currently, the EAC Tax Policy and Tax Administration Sub-Committee, with support from the IMF, is conducting harmonisation of excise duty on alcohol, tobacco, non-alcoholic beverages, and fossil fuels.'The IMF experts analysed the tax data submitted by the partner states and recommended a range of possible minimum rates for each product for consideration by the Tax Policy and Tax Administration,' said Frank J Dafa, Manager of Trade in Goods at the East African Business Council. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
eNCA
6 days ago
- General
- eNCA
Tanzania faces call to investigate activists' torture claims
DAR ES SALAAM - The international community must pressure Tanzania to investigate police officers accused of sexually torturing Kenyan and Ugandan activists last month, a rights coalition in Kenya said on Tuesday. Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire were detained in Tanzania's business capital Dar es Salaam between 19-23 May when they attempted to attend the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is charged with treason and faces a potential death penalty. They have both detailed torture and sexual abuse by the police officers who detained them. On Tuesday, the Police Reforms Working Group, a coalition of Kenyan rights organisations, called on "the East African Community and the international community to demand that the government of Tanzania hold accountable the police officers and their commanding officers responsible for the torture, assault, and sexual assault committed against Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire." The group spoke alongside the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) at a press conference in Nairobi. "Torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment are serious crimes under multiple treaties and international law," they said. "The government of Tanzania must arrest and prosecute all officers suspected of responsibility for the human rights violations against Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire and bring them to justice in a fair trial." Irungu Houghton, director of Amnesty International Kenya, said Tanzania was engaged in "a brutal campaign against all forms of dissent" ahead of elections in October. President Samia Suluhu Hassan is running for re-election but her government has banned the main opposition party, Chadema, after it insisted on reforms before taking part.
The Star
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
African countries urged to boost agricultural funding for food security
NAIROBI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- African governments must increase public investment in agriculture to strengthen food security and unlock sustainable economic growth, officials said Tuesday at a high-level summit in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. Held under the theme "Taking Ownership: Rethinking Sustainable Financing for Africa's Food Systems," the Financing Agri-food Systems Sustainably Summit 2025 brought together policymakers and sector stakeholders to explore financing solutions for transforming food systems across the continent. At the three-day forum, delegates said that although agriculture employs over 60 percent of the continent's population, it continues to receive disproportionately low investment. Mutahi Kagwe, Kenya's cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, said the sector receives just three percent of the national budget despite contributing 22.5 percent to the country's gross domestic product. "By raising the budgetary allocation to 10 percent, we shall not only be adequately investing in the sector, but also meeting the requirements of the 2014 Malabo Declaration on the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) and the Kampala CAADP Declaration of January 2025," Kagwe said. Such a move could increase productivity by 45 percent, eliminate post-harvest losses, and triple intra-African agri-trade by 2035, Kagwe added. Veronica Nduva, secretary general of the East African Community, said the region is working to modernize agriculture into climate-resilient, value-driven systems. She stressed the need for investment in infrastructure, technology, research, and inclusive financial access, especially for smallholder farmers. Moses Vilakati, commissioner for agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment at the African Union, said via video link that the continent has committed to mobilize 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2035 for food system transformation. He urged the adoption of innovative financing tools that de-risk agri-investments and empower smallholders, especially women and youth, who form the backbone of food systems.
Business Insider
08-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Top 5 countries within the East African Community with the highest real GDP growth
A recent report has revealed that the East African Community (EAC) posted an astounding 5.4% economic growth in 2024, indicating a robust recovery and resilience in the face of global and regional economic concerns. Top 5 countries within the East African Community with the highest real GDP growth Business Insider Africa presents the top 5 countries within the East African Community with the highest real GDP growth. This list is courtesy of the Economic Survey report by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics. Rwanda ranks number 1. This good trend ranks the EAC among Africa's fastest-growing regional blocs, thanks to increasing intra-regional trade, infrastructure investment, and a recovery in important sectors including agriculture, services, and manufacturing. The expansion comes as many regions throughout the world are dealing with inflation, mounting debt, and supply chain problems. The EAC's 5.4% growth rate reflects coordinated economic policies, improvements in cross-border trade facilitation, and continued implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol. The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organization of seven partner countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Established with the goal of promoting economic, political, and social integration, the EAC represents a market of more than 300 million people and is growing in strategic importance both within Africa and beyond. The EAC has emerged as Africa's integration lighthouse, achieving significant strides in policy harmonization, non-tariff obstacles elimination, and investor attraction. However, obstacles such as political instability, infrastructure deficiencies, and bureaucratic impediments remain. Despite these challenges, the region has shown that it can remain persistent in developing its economy collectively. In October, 2024, it was reported that the East African Community outperformed other African sub-regions with a growth rate of 4.7% in 2024 and an anticipated rate of 5.7% in 2025–2026. This figure according to the Economic Survey report by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics, showed that the region's growth rate has gone from 4.7% to 5.4% considering the economic activities of months after October (Q4 2024). The countries that contributed most to the East African Community's growth performance between Q1 and Q3 were Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Kenya's economy alone is projected to rise to 5% in 2024 and 5.1% in 2025–2026. However, given the latest revision in the overall figure, below are the 5 countries in the sub-region with the highest real GDP growth in 2024. Top 5 countries within the East African Community with the highest real GDP growth Rank Country Real GDP Growth 2024 1. Rwanda 7.0% 2. Tanzania 6.1% 3. Burundi 6.0% 4. Uganda 5.7% 5, Democratic Republic of Congo 4.7%
New Straits Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Johari Ghani leading Malaysian delegation on three-day official mission to Kenya
KUALA LUMPUR: Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani is leading the Malaysian delegation on an official economic and technical mission to Kenya from May 6-8. The visit highlights Malaysia's stance in strengthening economic, trade and investment relations with African nations, particularly in the commodities and plantation sectors. Johari is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry of Kenya. The meeting will focus on broadening cooperation in trade and investment, particularly in the palm oil sector among other key commodities. This includes exploring how both countries can contribute to the global palm oil production ecosystem. In addition, Johari will participate in dialogue sessions and roundtable engagements with industry players. The sessions aim to identify strategic areas for collaboration, strengthen trade networks, and promote Malaysian palm oil, the ministry said in a statement today. Official site visits to selected industrial facilities will be conducted to gain insights into Kenya's production landscape and explore further collaborative opportunities. Kenya holds strategic importance to Malaysia, both as a bilateral partner and as a gateway to broader regional markets. Kenya is a member of the East African Community (EAC), an intergovernmental organisation comprising eight countries. The EAC comprises Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania with a combined population exceeding 330 million. This makes the EAC a key economic bloc in sub-Saharan Africa, offering vast potential for market expansion. The EAC Customs Union, established in 2005, allows products entering any one member country such as Kenya to be freely circulated across the region without additional tariffs. This provides Malaysia with a cost-effective and efficient platform to enhance its exports, particularly palm oil, to the broader East African market. Kenya is currently Malaysia's largest importer of palm oil in the sub-Saharan African region. In 2024 alone, Kenya accounted for 42 per cent of Malaysia's total palm oil exports to sub-Saharan Africa, with Malaysia maintaining a dominant market share of 85 per cent in the country. Moreover, Kenya plays a leading role in shaping regional trade policies and currently holds the position of chair of both the EAC Heads of State Summit and the EAC Council of Ministers. This positions Kenya as a highly influential partner in advancing regional trade integration and offers Malaysia a strategic entry point into broader African markets. "This economic mission represents a timely and strategic platform to deepen Malaysia-Kenya bilateral cooperation, leverage Kenya's regional leadership, and expand Malaysia's footprint in East Africa. "It reaffirms Malaysia's commitment to responsible, sustainable, and mutually beneficial trade practices, while identifying new global opportunities for growth in the commodity sector," the ministry said.
