Tanzania ’s trade share in EAC increases

TANZANIA ’S share of intra -regional trade in
East African Community region has
increased from 15 per cent in 2005 to 26
per cent by last year grossing over 1 .5
billion US dollars , the government has said.

The Permanent Secretary at Ministry of East
African Cooperation, Joyce Mapunjo, told
reporters in Dar es Salaam that the country’ s
trade volume was only second to Kenya in
the EAC region .

Ms Mapunjo who was speaking to journalist
on the forthcoming 16th EAC Summit due to
be held in Kenyan capital , Nairobi later this
month , pointed out that the country’ s
exports include manufactured goods.

“ We are exporting steel bars , cooking oil ,
cement and textiles ,” she pointed out while
stressing that EAC intraregional trade has
increased from 317 million US dollars in
2005 to over 1 . 5 billion US dollars last
year .

“ And the figure is increasing annually so I
urge our businessmen to seize the
opportunity and exploit the regional
market,” she argued .

The EA Cooperation chief civil servant
further noted that the government is doing
everything to ensure that the local private
sector is competitive .

“ We have addressed concerns over road
blocks and now most of them are gone and
by next year we will have only three
weighbridges between Dar es Salaam and
Nyakanazi border post, ” she noted.

The Ministry ’s acting Director for Trade,
Investment and Production, Bernard Haule
said where necessary weigh- inmotion
bridges will be deployed to check against
notorious cargo truck owners who do not
comply to load limitations on the roads.
Mr Haule said because of efficiency at Dar
es Salaam port and government ’ s decision to
remove non-tariff barriers , intraregional
trade was growing rapidly hence
contributing to economic growth.

“ We have been working with customs
officials from Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda
in ensuring that cargo clearance is not
delayed by tax payments hence the process
starts before goods arrive at Dar es Salaam
port ,” Mr Haule noted.

The 16th EAC Summit will be preceded by a
technical meeting of senior government
officials who include Permanent Secretaries
and will be followed by the Council of
Ministers which will culminate into the
Summit of Heads of State and Government.
Current EAC Chairman, President Uhuru
Kenyatta of Kenya will hand over the
position to President Jakaya Kikwete at the
end of the summit with Dar es Salaam
scheduled to host the next meeting later
next year.

The EAC which is comprised of Burundi ,
Kenya, Rwanda , Tanzania and Uganda has an
area of 1 .82 million square kilometres, a
population of over 143.5 million people
with a gross domestic product of 110.3
billion US dollars according to EAC
Secretariat.