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tralac’s Daily News Selection
The selection: Monday, 22 August 2016
Today, in Arusha the East African Legislative Assembly resumes; in eZulwini the launch of the SADC Regional Water Strategic Action Plan
Brexit commentaries from Commonwealth Trade Hot Topics: Global trade slowdown, Brexit and SDGs: issues and way forward (Mohammad Razzaque, Brendan Vickers, Poorvi Goel), Trade implications of Brexit for Commonwealth developing countries (Christopher Stevens, Jane Kennan)
Level of intra-Africa trade scandalous - Jeff Radebe (Fin24)
Countries in the SADC region need to come together to bargain for better inter- and intra-Africa trade, said minister in the presidency for planning, monitoring and evaluation Jeff Radebe. Radebe was the keynote speaker on Friday night at the 17th annual conference of the SADC Lawyers Association. Radebe offered a number of recommendations for improved regional integration: (i) amend the SADC Treaty; (ii) adopt harmonised community laws that are directly applicable in the SADC region; (iii) consider establishing a regional legislative body that can act SADC-specific laws; and (iv) empower the SADC Tribunal to better oversee that harmonised law is applied and implemented across countries.
Zimbabwe: Parliament adopts SADC Tribunal Protocol (The Herald)
The National Assembly yesterday adopted the SADC Tribunal Protocol that seeks to rationalise its powers by barring it from hearing cases brought against states by its citizens. “The difference now is that the former Tribunal allowed it to supersede a decision of the High Court of member states. It allowed citizens to take their own Government to the Tribunal without even exhausting domestic remedies. This Tribunal is structured to adjudicate and deal with disputes between member states and not individuals taking their Government to the Tribunal. Disputes are bound to arise between states whose nature might be commercial, industrial and even political,” said VP Mnangagwa. He said the Tribunal might also deal with ordinary Bills that were not of a constitutional nature nor statutory instruments. “We will not raise the status of a Statutory Instrument to be discussed,” said VP Mnangagwa.
Harnessing resources for industrialization: SADC talks energy infrastructure investment (SARDC)
One of the issues that SADC leaders are expected to discuss when they meet in Mbabane is the need to reduce structural impediments to industrialisation. Running under the theme “Resource Mobilisation for Investment in Sustainable Energy Infrastructure for an Inclusive SADC Industrialisation for the Prosperity of the Region”, the 36th SADC Summit is expected to discuss measures to improve power generation capacity and facilitate an increase in the development and use of renewable sources of energy as well as ensure adequate water supply. The Summit is also expected to discuss a costed Regional Agriculture Investment Plan (2017-2022) that was approved by the Ministers Responsible for Agriculture and Food Security in Swaziland in July. Another issue for Council and Summit will be the review of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development to align it to global processes and emerging issues, following recommendations by Ministers responsible for Gender and Women Affairs who met in Gaborone, Botswana in June.
12th Civil Society Forum: communiqué
The 12th Civil Society Forum convened by the SADC Council of NGOs (SADC-CNGO), Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa (FOCCISA) and the Southern Africa Trade Unions Coordinating Council (SATUCC), gathered together more than 350 delegates from the 15 SADC countries, representing regional thematic networks and deliberated on progress made on the implementation of the resolutions of the 11th CSF (pdf) and reflected on the key challenges facing the region. The CSF determined and developed a clear action plan for a new path and strategies towards the realisation of people-centred development in Southern Africa, reclaiming our full citizenship, democratic dispensation and developmental priorities through:
SADC Women conference: recommendations (1 Billion Rising)
On 18 August, SADC Women had a successful side event, Engaging with SADC Civil Society Organisations, during the SADC people’s summit on the socio-economic and political issues affecting women in the region; ahead of the 36th Summit of SADC Head of States. This event was organised by Women and Law in Southern Africa – Swaziland, the Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly and the Swaziland Domestic Workers Union in partnership with the One Billion Rising Revolution campaign. The following recommendations came from the Women’s commission:
Spatial externalities, openness and financial development in SADC: beyond the multilateral monetary agreement (ERSA)
Precisely, the study tests if financially less developed economies in SADC benefit from linkages with and proximity to South Africa, a financially developed economy. The Spatial Durbin Model estimated using GMM and Dynamic Panel Estimations, establishes that financial development in the SADC region is sensitive to space and hence not immune to spatial externalities. Results indicate that monetary measures are highly sensitive to geography than credit and that allowing for spatiality, credit from South Africa crowds-out domestic and private credit of other SADC countries. Precisely, proximity to South Africa brings negative externalities in credit but positive externalities in money markets. [The analysts: Alex Bara, Gift Mugano, Pierre Le Roux]
EPA: Kenya’s fate now lies with heads of state (The EastAfrican)
Kenya has left the fate of the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU in the hands of the EAC heads of state, whose meeting was rescheduled to next month. The Extraordinary Summit would have been held this [past] week but Tanzania cancelled at the eleventh hour a ministerial summit that would have sought to resolve the EPA dispute. Tanzania said it was not ready to participate in the EAC Council of Ministers meeting that was to be held from August 17-20, partly informing the agenda of the Summit. “The EAC Heads of State Summit decided that the region negotiate with the EU as a bloc. If we have to do otherwise then it requires the summit’s decision,” Dr Chris Kiptoo, Principal Secretary in-charge of Trade in Kenya’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Co-operatives told The EastAfrican. Dr Kiptoo said he did not have details on why the meeting was deferred.
Seychelles: Infrastructure Action Plan Report (pdf, AfDB)
While the draft Medium Term National Development Strategy (MTNDS) emphasizes GoS’ intention to significantly increase private sector participation in Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, improve the business environment for SMEs and build its institutional and regulatory capacity, PPPs in Seychelles are limited. An assessment of the essential criteria critical for success in PPPs shows that on all criteria except the proposed investments in physical infrastructure, Seychelles is not yet ready to effectively implement them. Much needs to be done, as shown below.
Tanzania: Tanga Economic Corridor update (IPPMedia)
Construction of 20 factories for Tanga Economic Corridor that will form the city’s nucleus of industrial hub, is still going on despite challenges, Chairman of African Future Forum (AFF) from South Korea, Chris Incheul has said. Incheul told Property Watch this week that the project is on course although key permits from the government are yet to be approved. Incheul who is also the Chairman of Tanga Economic Corridor Limited, dismissed reports that the project has collapsed, saying they are working hard to implement it. [More than 300 local, foreign firms for Mwanza trade expo]
Northern Corridor: reducing the impact of road crashes (Business Daily)
To beat traffic on the roads, weighbridges and border posts, most drivers find themselves sleeping for about four hours after driving for about eight to 10 hours. To tame road crashes along the corridor, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo have launched a project to reduce accidents. The project managed by Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority plans to build 141 roadside stations in the six countries. Construction of 67 roadside stations at an estimated cost of Sh7 billion has been given priority. [Pulitzer Centre project: In this project, journalist Beatrice Obwocha focuses on how road crashes involving heavy commercial vehicles impact local economies]
South Africa: MPs issue deadline to settle border agency discord (Business Day)
The Department of Home Affairs, the Police Ministry and the Treasury have less than four weeks to sort out their differences over the Border Management Authority Bill, which has huge implications for the country’s tax-collection regime. The bill, which has been seven years in the making, has raised concerns because it proposes setting up a parallel function to the South African Revenue Service commissioner in a border management agency, without outlining the division of responsibilities and mandates in terms of collecting import duties.
South Africa: Mechanisms to protect the local manufacturing sector from illegal and substandard products (pdf, the dti)
South Africa and Zimbabwe trade: how does it work? (tralac)
The Zimbabwe Ministry of Industry and Commerce has allocated TWO days per week for import permits – Wednesday and Thursday. These days are up on a notice in their offices. It is now taking between 10-14 days to obtain an import permit, from the date of application, and each import license costs $30.00. A trader is required to apply for an import license for each product he/she would be importing. Therefore, giant retailers which import various commodities requiring import licenses would handle large volumes of documentation. These import licenses for the above items are required even if goods are being imported under customs or trade agreements. [The analyst: Elisha Tshuma], [Gerhard Erasmus: How can the Beitbridge dispute be resolved?]
Zimbabwe: Importers CBCA compliance goes up (The Chronicle)
Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Chiratidzo Mabuwa says importers’ compliance to the Consignment Based Conformity Assessment programme “significantly” increased to 58% in June. CBCA was implemented on 1 March 2016 by the Government through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce as a measure of curbing the influx of substandard and hazardous goods in the country as well as creating a level playing field for local industry. “The majority of the certificates of conforming issued are for chemical products respectively while pearls are the least. Most of the conformity assessment activities are carried out in South Africa, as it is the largest trading partner constituting 77% of total certificates of conforming issued followed by China, Zambia and the rest of the world.” [CCZ: Import ban triggers price increase]
Rwanda launches online service to ease agri-produce trade (New Times)
The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources has launched a new online portal expected to reduce the cost of importing and exporting agricultural produce. The trade portal comprises of two interlinked platforms; a front-end login portal where Rwanda Agriculture Livestock Inspection and Certification Services (RALIS) stakeholders will access services ranging from information on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements, international and Rwanda trade regulations, and features to access and request for services. The second platform is a Management Information System to be used by RALIS management and staff to process requests for services. “The linkages within the system will enhance inter-government agency coordination with the aim of improving service delivery and good governance in Rwanda,” said Beatrice Uwumukiza, the Director General, RALIS.
Zimbabwe: Drought, finance cuts hit cotton (The Herald)
Cotton output is expected to fall to its lowest level since the 1992 drought because of the serious drought last season and the reduction in finance from cotton companies. Production is expected to be between 30 000 tonnes and 35 000 tonnes, down from 102 000 tonnes produced last year, an official with a leading cotton company said. The sector used to support about 400 000 households. It is a major source of livelihood in communities such as Gokwe, Chiredzi and Muzarabani. Free inputs disbursed by the Government last year had the potential of producing 130 000 tonnes. [Tobacco farmers begin land preparations]
Regional strategy on regulation of medical products in the African Region, 2016–2025 (WHO Regional Committee for Africa)
WHO has been supporting regulatory systems strengthening through several collaborative initiatives. These include the African Vaccine Regulatory Forum, the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization initiative, harmonization projects in regional economic communities and the African Medicines Agency. However, countries still face challenges in governance of their regulatory systems, as well as low human, financial and technical resource capacity required for functional National Medicines Regulatory Authorities (NMRAs). This regional strategy therefore aims at ensuring that NMRAs are strengthened to effectively fulfil their mandate. It prioritizes interventions that will improve governance of regulatory systems, enhance collaboration, harmonize standards and facilitate implementation of joint regulatory activities and strengthen capacity of NMRAs to improve access to medical products of good quality. [Access via the extensive documentation for the Sixty-sixth session, 19-23 August, Addis Ababa]
Africa-Arab Partnership pre-summit meetings: trade, investment, communication, transport, energy (AU)
Congo copper deal with China may draw $2bn of investment (Bloomberg)
Conflict gold rules ignored by DR Congo and Dubai (China Dailogue)
Study on sustainable industrialization in the wood industry in the countries of the Congo Basin (pdf, AfDB)
Sudan, Ethiopia draft MoU on cross-border animal health and livestock trade programmes (IGAD)
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