PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eradicate NTBs to Spur
Business- says Arusha business community, EABC
Arusha,
Tanzania: April 9, 2019: The EABC CEO Round Table Meeting in Arusha convened over 30 top
CEOs of Companies based Arusha and Kilimanjaro region and urged them to
proactively seize opportunities arising from the EAC regional integration
process.
In his opening remarks
at EABC CEO Round Table Breakfast Meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, Hon Peter
Mathuki, CEO EABC urged business in Arusha to proactively engage the East
African Community through EABC given the proximity advantage that the EAC and
EABC Secretariat are located in Arusha. He noted there is a need to remove
Non-Tariff Barriers and embark on trading proactively with the neighboring
countries even before venturing outside the continent.
“Let’s spur business
within ourselves as the EAC bloc,” said Hon. Mathuki, EABC CEO.
Speaking at the CEO
Round Table Meeting Mr. Charles Omusana from the EAC Secretariat informed the
CEOs on initiatives and programmes that support businesses growth and
Investment the EAC Secretariat is working on such as the review of the EAC CET.
He noted, “It is the right of the private sector to demand a better and
improved business climate in the region.” He further urged the CEOs to give
input on the EAC Private Sector Development Strategy that will be developed.
The Chairman of TCCIA
Arusha Mr. Walter Maeda welcomed closer collaboration between TCCIA and the
East African Business Council in a bid to support SMEs to take advantage of the
opportunities availed by the EAC regional integration process.
“Request for waiver of
duty from the Import Commissioner for EAC Originating Goods takes 7 days, this
delays business and intra EAC Trade” Mr. Amani Temu from Taha Fresh
elaborated one of the obstacles to cross border trade. Among other issues,
affecting businesses is the recent notice on no conditional release for
imported goods by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards, which subjects imported
goods from the EAC Partner States to inspections causing delay.
The steel industry in
Arusha is calling for the review of East African Harmonized Standards on
hot-rolled steel plates of less than 1mm as the plates are an important raw
material for their industries.
“Mutual Recognition of
Standards is important to businesses, such protectionist administrative
measures are NTBs which hinder intra EAC trade, “ said Hon Mathuki
The CEO Forum in
Arusha agreed to consolidate issues affecting businesses at the ground and
through the support of EABC they are keen to engage the EAC Secretary General
and Council of Minister for a quick resolution.
The EABC CEO Round
Table Meeting in Arusha brought together high level managers
from KCB Bank, Eco Bank, CRDB Bank, Lodhia Group of Industries,
Kijenge Animals Products, Ethiopian Airlines, Nabaki Afrika,CNBM Builders,
Precision Air, Harsho Group, REDAX, Vodacom, ANZA, TCCIA and Darsh Industries
among others.
About EABC
The
East African Business Council (EABC) is the regional apex body of Private
Sector associations and Corporates from the 6 East African Countries. It was
established in 1997 to foster the interests of the Private Sector in the
Integration process of the East African Community. Being the representative of Private Sector
associations in the region, EABC was granted observer status in
organs and activities of the East African Community (EAC). EABC,
therefore, participates in various sectoral meetings, meetings of the
Coordination Committee, the EAC Council of Ministers, and the Summit of the EAC
Heads of State; with a view to ensure that the agenda of the Private
Sector is well articulated and received by the policymakers.
Vision: Borderless East Africa for business and
investment.
Mission: To promote sustainable Private Sector-driven
growth.
EABC Membership
is drawn from the six East African Partner States and is open to all national
and regional associations as well as Corporates with interest in the EAC
Integration process or operations in the region. At
the national level, EABC activities are coordinated through
the EABC National Focal Points, who are also the national Private
Sector umbrella bodies. These are Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industries
Burundi (CFCIB), Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Rwanda Private Sector
Federation (PSF), Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) and Private Sector
Foundation Uganda (PSFU).
For more information
about EABC, visit www.eabc.info.
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