Ngwenya urges change of mindset for Africa
By Stuart Lisulo
Fri 25 Oct. 2013, 14:00 CAT
A CHANGE of mind-set is needed if Africa is to claim the 21st century, says Sindiso Ngwenya.
Speaking at the launch of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) electronic market exchange system (CEMES) in Lusaka yesterday, Ngwenya who is COMESA secretary general said old practices of trade and commerce would not take the continent anywhere as Africa was part of the modern economy.
In pointing out some of the advantages of the newly-launched system, Ngwenya said revenue authorities would under this system calculate in advance how much revenue would be made from customs duties.
I know those who are in the freight-forwarding business think that they will make money by sitting at the border posts to do the documentation; we shall have a paper-less system so that transit is paper-less, pre-clearance is done because you would have the assurance that the goods are coming and certified by the customs authority in the originating country, he said.
He observed that business models for truckers and freight-forwarders have got to change.
CEMES is COMESA's initiative to develop a fully-fledged e-business solution in the COMESA region and beyond.
The main objective of the project is to bring over 400 million people to a new COMESA 'virtual market' to help residents of member states and the rest of the world to buy, sell, market, insure, deliver and receive products and services wherever they are in real time at a lower cost and contribute to poverty reduction.
The system, which works similarly to Amazon.com and other online payment facilities, will be able to bring manufacturers, wholesalers, those providing logistics services, a payment facility through online and mobile banking, to enhance transparency, efficiency, accountability and security together with increasing revenues for respective revenue authorities.
Labels: CEMES, COMESA, SINDISO NGWENYA
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$1,2bn fraud cases in six months
Saturday, 12 May 2012 16:34
Darlington Musarurwa
Business Editor
The three-day workshop of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) on improving the business environment in Zimbabwe last week came under the shadow of grim negative indicators showing that fraud cases topped $1,2 billion in only six months to December last year, while patterns of household income growth remain markedly poor in the country.
The recent Africa Fraud Barometer 2011 released by
KPMG and the
Ernst & Young Africa Attractiveness survey 2012 all cast a negative outlook for the country, especially in a period where most of the African countries have bucked the downtrend, raising the spectre that it
will become increasingly more difficult to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
However, it was not all gloom and doom as the country ranked higher than some BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) in the “irregular payments and bribes” category — a subcomponent of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index.
While there has been huge Government intervention in improving the business climate in Zimbabwe, recent statistics indicate that investors have not yet warmed up to the country as an investment destination as negative perceptions and misconceptions continue to be entrenched.
Fraud and corruption are some of the key factors that have alienated the continent from investors, market watchers say.
According to the KPMG report, the value of fraud cases in Zimbabwe in the six months to December 2011 soared to $1,2 billion, which is 32 percent of the overall value of fraud cases in Africa in the review period at $3,7 billion.
As a result, Zimbabwe was ranked second to Nigeria, which had fraud cases of over $1,6 billion.
South Africa had the highest number of reported fraud cases in the period at 35 percent from 37 percent that was recorded in the period of January to June in 2011.
Nigeria was second, with the number of cases recorded at 22 percent from 25 percent in the first half.
On the overall, 520 fraud cases worth $7,2 billion were recorded in the second half of last year.
The report further notes that the highest value of fraud committed in the second half was by management at $1,2 billion, while employees weighed in with 29 percent of the cases.
There were very few fraud cases reported for the first half of 2011. Zimbabwe had a 9% occurrence of reported cases in the first half of 2011 with a value of $2, 4 million.
“The case as reported in the second half of 2011 refers to a fraud case that occurred in 2008. This means it occurred pre-dollarisation in Zimbabwe. This means that the time span between the commission, investigation and reporting could have spanned the hyper-inflation/dollarisation phase,” said KPMG.
The US dollar equivalent of the fraud could probably be at most $2 million. It therefore seems that the statistics in the second half of 2011 gives a skewed representation of
the actual fraud perpetrated due to the unique currency situation in the country.
Crucially, KPMG notes that the Government and the public sector industry had the highest occurrences of fraud reported at 39 percent.
However, the most extensive information of the psyche of investors, especially their perception towards Africa, Zimbabwe included, is provided by the latest report by Ernst & Young, which is based on a sample of 500 investors and business leaders from across the globe.
Most importantly, it was generally observed that there is a huge perception gap between businesses already operating in Africa and those which are yet to establish operations.
Those who have since opened businesses in Africa are believed to be upbeat about the prospects of business and future growth as compared to those who are reluctant to do business with the continent.
Much of the negative perception about Africa has mainly been fanned by fears of political risk, corruption, weak security and the difficulties in the ease of doing business.
Although the report notes that some African countries are now performing relatively better in terms of political governance, corruption, fraud and competitiveness than some of the BRIC countries, Zimbabwe stood out as one of the countries where the economic indicators, particularly consumer growth trends, remain worrying.
“Ernst & Young’s analysis of consumer growth trends over a 10-year period, from 2005 to 15, reveals a market underpinned by both short- and long-term potential. In general, there is a slowdown in growth rates among the very poor, high growth for the mass market and moderate growth among the more affluent segments. Based on this analysis, there are only a handful of countries, such as Algeria, Eritrea and Zimbabwe, which show a distinctly negative pattern. By contrast, the pattern across a broad range of countries is one of a marked trend toward greater affluence,” observes the report.
Most importantly, the attractiveness survey notes that the conditions of doing business in Africa have improved markedly to such as extent that some countries are even faring better than some of the countries being touted as the fastest growing in the world.
For example, six African countries have been among the 10 fastest growing economies in the world, and 10 African countries are forecast to be among the 10 fastest-growing economies over the next five years.
In addition, in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2012 rankings, 14 African countries ranked ahead of Russia, 16 ahead of Brazil and 17 ahead of India.
Also in Transparency International’s recent Corruption Perceptions Index, 14 African countries ranked higher than India, while 35 were higher than Russia, putting paid to the notion that Africa is inherently corrupt.
In fact, in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitive Index 2011 to 2012’s subcomponent on bribes and irregular payments, Zimbabwe ranks higher than India.
Added the report: “Similarly, some of the subcomponents of the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index 2011-12 make for interesting comparisons. For example, based on a 2011-12 weighted average score on “Irregular payments and bribes”, Botswana, Cape Verde and Rwanda all rank ahead of the USA. These three countries, as well as Gambia, Mauritius, Namibia and South Africa, rank ahead of Brazil and China.
Sixteen African countries — including Ethiopia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe — rank ahead of India, and a total of 19 are ahead of Russia.’’
Similarly, political governance is believed to have improved significantly over the past decade and on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index 2011 African countries such as Cape Verde, Mauritius and South Africa rank ahead of developed European countries such as France and Italy.
They are also well ahead of the BRICS and the large majority of significant emerging markets such as Argentina, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, Thailand and Turkey.
Only Eritrea and Swaziland are regarded as “autocracies”.
“A new African narrative is emerging. Political, economic and regulatory reform — processes that began in the 1990s — continue to reshape the continent. Armed conflict is significantly reduced, providing the relative stability required for economic growth and development.
Inflation is being brought under control, foreign debt and budget deficits reduced, state-owned enterprises privatised, regulatory and legal systems strengthened and many African economies have opened up to international trade.
“These structural changes have helped invigorate markets and commerce, creating an environment that is increasingly conducive to business and investment.
“Furthermore, widespread reform, together with steady improvements in political governance, the commodities boom, substantially increased levels of disposable income, urbanisation and a rapidly developing services sector, have contributed to a continued and, what we believe to be, a sustainable growth path for Africa,” explains Ernst & Young.
Africa’s economy as a continent is forecast to grow by 5,5 percent this year, which is a higher growth rate compared to economic growth projections for the world’s biggest economy, the United States of America, of 2,1 percent.
Zimbabwe’s economy is expected to grow 9,3 percent — though growth is from a low base.
In 2011, 78 percent of governments in the sub-Saharan region changed their regulatory environment to make it easier to do business, while Zimbabwe introduced One Stop Investment shop a year earlier in order to simply processes in the registration of investment projects.
The processes are still being fine-tuned as the country determinedly tries to lure investors.
But, worryingly, Africa only attracted 5,5 percent in FDI, the highest proportion that the continent has ever attracted, from 4,5 percent a year earlier.
However, the entire continent attracted fewer FDI than India.
Ernst & Young argues that for the continent to unlock its full potential, there is need to bridge the perception gap between those who have experiences on the continent and those who have not; to accelerate regional integration and eliminate the infrastructure deficit.
There is a belief that African countries are not telling their stories loud enough than their counterparts in Asia in order to break down the negative perceptions that presently exist.
Also, the experts note that much work still has to be done in order to harmonise procedures of the 54 countries of the continent that make it difficult for foreign investors to engage.
Although the vision, aspiration and determination for Africa to create a single economic bloc were espoused in the 1991 Abuja Treaty, much work is still outstanding.
Under the treaty, a continent-wide economic and monetary union and a Pan-African Parliament were expected to be completed in 2028.
But there has been significant progress, especially in 2008, when heads of state and government of 26 African countries established a free trade area, which is now referred to as the Tripartite Free Trade Area (T-FTA), in order to facilitate intra-African trade, promote collaboration between regional economic communities and facilitate resource mobilisation and project implementation.
The tripartite is mainly made up of SADC, Comesa and EAC (East African Community) regional blocs.
Much remains to be done in establishing the infrastructure needed to ease trade and commerce.
Power shortages, rail and road transport infrastructure, including communication challenges, remain huge obstacles in making the continent competitive relative to its peers.
Labels: COMESA
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Zimbabwe, EU trade doubles
Friday, 30 March 2012 00:00
Martin Kadzere Senior Business Reporter
TRADE between Zimbabwe and the European Union doubled during the past two years with the European trade bloc now looking at deepening economic ties with Harare, an envoy said yesterday. EU trade with Zimbabwe amounted to US$860 million last year with
a positive trade balance of US$271 million in favour of Zimbabwe.“The EU is looking forward to further deepening relations with Zimbabwe, evolving in the longer term towards a partnership that includes trade and investment,” said the EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Aldo Dell’Ariccia.
He was addressing delegates during a business session held before the launch of industrial and trade policies by President Mugabe yesterday.
The EU is Zimbabwe’s second largest trading partner after South Africa.
Recently, the EU invited Zimbabwe to resume re-engagement talks to explore ways of normalising relations.
The invitation came at a time the European bloc has removed a number of individuals and companies from its illegal sanctions list.
But the EU extended sanctions on certain people and companies for another six months.
Mr Dell’Ariccia said the EU was working towards attracting the attention of business in Europe to explore trade and investment opportunities in Zimbabwe.
He said with the recent ratification of the interim Economic Partnership Agreement, Zimbabwe exports to EU would continue to enjoy the privileged duty-free and quota-free access.
Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius and Zimbabwe signed the EPA with the EU in August 2009.
The deal was a stepping stone towards a full and comprehensive EPA that continues to be negotiated and remains open to other Africa countries.
The agreement provides for safeguard clauses and an additional safety net that allows countries to take measures to protect their industries and strategic sectors,
such as food security and rural development.
It would also facilitate access to EU technology and investment as well as access to technical assistance and capacity building in areas such as trade and private sector development.
In addition, the agreement will promote the diversification of value-added exports to the EU.
Mr Dell’Ariccia said the launch of the trade and industrial policies would ensure a conducive policy environment for investors to do business in Zimbabwe.
The trade policy seeks to increase export earnings by at least 10 percent, from US$4,3 billion last year to about US$7 billion in 2016.
It also seeks to promote value addition of primary commodities in all sectors and restoring the manufacturing sector’s contribution to export earnings, from the current 16 percent to 50 percent by 2016.
In addition, it would enhance trade facilitation to reducing trade flow barriers, consolidate existing export markets and provide guidance on trade policy instruments, such as tariffs, non-tariffs and trade defence mechanisms.
The industrial policy seeks to restore the manufacturing sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product, from the current 15 percent to 30 percent and contribution to exports from 26 percent to 50 percent in the next three years.
The targets are in line with the Medium Term Plan. Some of the objectives of the industrial policy are employment creation, increasing capacity utilisation to 80 percent, re-equiping industries and increasing manufactured exports to the Sadc region and Comesa.
Labels: ALDO DELL'ARICCIA, COMESA, EU, ZIMBABWE
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Conservation agriculture to boost food security
Friday, 02 March 2012 00:00
Agriculture Reporter
GOVERNEMNT with support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa has launched the
Conservation Agriculture Up-scaling Framework for Zimbabwe. The framework seeks to map the most effective way of promoting the technology to boost food security and well being of local farmers.
Improvement in crop productivity derived from implementing conservation agriculture will not only impact at household level but go even further and contribute to the national efforts of achieving the Millennium Development Goals of Eradicating Extreme Hunger and Poverty.
Officially launching the framework, Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development permanent secretary, Mr Ngoni Masoka said in recognition of the production constraints being faced by the farming community, the ministry adopted conservation agriculture as one of the sustainable technologies to improve productivity.
“Conservation agriculture addresses the problem of low erratic rainfall through the use of technologies that reduce water losses and increase infiltration and low soil nutrient status by reducing top soil loss and increasing soil carbon and nitrogen through the use of organic soil cover and legume in rotations and interactions,” he said.
Mr Masoka said conservation agriculture has been identified as having the potential to reduce the impact of many factors that constrain agricultural production.
However, like any new technology, it needs to be introduced in an appropriate manner to increase its uptake among farmers and enhance its impact.
“Promoting a technology without any specific guidelines may result in conflicting messages getting to the farmer, thereby reducing the benefits that the farmers can derive from the technology,” he said.
Mr Masoka urged all stakeholders attending the launch to seriously consider the guidelines provided in the framework and incorporate them into their work plans and daily activities to boost food production and attaining environmental sustainability.
The number of local farmers practicing conservation agriculture has increased tremendously from just over 5 000 in 2003/4 season to over 350 000 farmers covering an area approximately 150 000 hectares during the 2011/2 season. Mr Masoka said 130 000 of these farmers were implementing conservation agriculture without any input support.
“This implies that our efforts are bearing fruit and farmers are realising the benefits of this technology,” he said.
Zimbabwe targets to get 500 000 farmers implementing conservation agriculture over 250 000 hectares by 2015.
Speaking at the same function, FAO Mr Martin Ager said in June 2010, Government, FAO and Comesa brought together a distinguished group of experts to come up with the CA Up-scaling framework document.
The launch of the framework, he said, was in line with developments across Southern Africa based on the work of a number of different governments and other stakeholders.
Labels: COMESA, CONSERVATION FARMING, FAO
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Malawi officials in Mozambique to discuss Nsanje port
By Nyasa Times Reporter
Four delegates from Malawi’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development led by Minister Sidik Mia are in Mozambique to discuss with authorities of the most strategic country in the entire Nsanje world inland Port which has been unused since it was launched in October 2011.
This is the 11th of joint technical meeting on Shire Zambezi waterway project between the countries involved and has been facilitated by the regional trade block, Comesa.
Transport Minister Mia confirmed the development but refused to shed more light until he comes back from the meeting.
The Malawian inland port entails linking to Mozambican ports on the Indian Ocean through the Shire and Zambezi rivers. But the Mozambique government has demanded an inclusive feasibility study on the navigability of the Zambezi and shire waterway before they can buy into the project.
The Shire River borders Malawi and Mozambique to the south and flows into the Zambezi River before feeding into the Indian Ocean via Chinde port in Mozambique. The Malawian inland port which is funded by the Africa Development Bank, World Bank, European Union and the Japanese government is about 238 km from Chinde.
President Bingu wa Mutharika sees the Shire-Zambezi waterway as a key route for Malawian trade and expressed hopes that it would also serve countries in the region.
Malawi has already completed the first phase of the construction of the port of Nsanje, which is being undertaken by Portuguese contractor Mota Engil. Traders have moved into the area around the port, buying up land to set up businesses. The proposed developments include warehouses, office blocks, houses and hotels.
The government says Malawi may save $175m of its total annual import bill when the new port becomes fully operational. The government hopes that the reduced transport costs will facilitate increased production of agricultural crops such as maize, cassava, sweet potatoes and rice.
Malawi’s transport ministry senior bureaucrat, Victor Lungu, who is part of the delegation to Mozambique remain optimistic that a solution to the standoff is within reach.
Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, COMESA, INFRASTRUCTURE, MALAWI, MOZAMBIQUE, SHIRE-ZAMBEZI WATERWAY
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Parliament Ratifies Dr. Michael Gondwe as Governor of the Bank of Zambia
TIME PUBLISHED - Friday, December 23, 2011, 12:41 pm
Parliament has ratified Former
PTA Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Michael Gondwe as Governor of the Bank of Zambia. Dr Gondwe takes over from, Caleb Fundanga who was BoZ Governor until September this year.
The appointment of Dr Gondwe comes a month after Bwalya Ng’andu was appointed deputy Governor in charge of operations at the Central Bank. Dr.Gondwe a holds Bachelor of Law Degrees from the University of Zambia and the University of Virginia as well as a Masters in Business Administration.
He is an alumnus of the Advanced Management Programme of the University of Oxford.
He is the president or the equivalent of chief executive officer of the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank.
The bank has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
The PTA bank still uses its original name, PTA Bank, created by the initial Preferential Trade Area (PTA) agreement.
The PTA agreement later graduated to Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) regional trade agreement.
[Zanis/Times of Zambia]
Labels: BOZ, COMESA
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President Mugabe urges Comesa to industrialise
Sunday, 16 October 2011 01:00
By Caesar Zvayi, recently in Lilongwe, Malawi
PRESIDENT MUGABE has urged Comesa member states to transform from being mere producers of raw materials by harnessing science and technology to process the raw materials or manufacture finished products to get maximum value from their natural resource endowments.
The President, who was addressing the main plenary on Friday evening, said the summit had convened at a time of great concern over the level of development in the Comesa bloc with many countries still preoccupied with plans, projects and policies for development at the expense of implementation.
Many of the economies in the region, President Mugabe said, focused on primary extractive industries that cry for value-addition through harnessing science and technology development.
He took the opportunity to apprise the meeting on Zimbabwe’s indigenisation and economic empowerment programme, saying all foreign-owned corporations were duty-bound to have 51 percent indigenous ownership and those who did not want to be bound by the law were free to ship out.
He encouraged the member states to insist on the beneficiation of their mineral resources and ensure that indigenous people have total control and ownership of their resources as the country has done through the indigenisation law.
‘‘You begin to worry that from the ’60s to this day, we have not found ways of adding value to them so that we can be the main producers of the more valuable products that come out of these raw materials. This is why I take it that was the reason why we found it necessary to address this theme of science and technology,’’ President Mugabe said.
The 15th Comesa Summit, which ended yesterday, was held under the theme, ‘‘Harnessing Science and Technology for Development’’. Africa, the President said, produces all conceivable raw materials, but exports them in raw form to the West from which it imports expensive finished products.
He cited the example of Zimbabwean, Tanzanian and Malawian tea, which, he said, was being branded as English tea by British firms in Dubai for sale the world over yet the African countries could brand it and get maximum returns from it.
‘‘Malawi has been producing tea for a long time, so have we; cotton for a long time, so have we. We have had processes that add value; spinning, weaving, but it should not stop there.
“The machines that do the weaving and spinning we have to import, why can’t our people make them? Haven’t we got the resources?
“We produce iron, Zimbabwe does, South Africa does. Probably other countries also produce iron. But where does our iron go? We export it, as ore, in some cases.’’ The President urged member states to work together in all areas of endeavour, saying there was power in numbers.
‘‘The products of our education, science and technology, we can share, pool our resources and see what development we can make.
“It’s one thing to work on a national basis to try to produce what you can produce alone, but when you are two, three, that’s in our African parlance, two hands, two minds . . . that gives you greater scope for development, greater scope for knowledge.’’
President Mugabe had earlier on signed the African Trade Insurance Agreement, a Comesa initiative supported by the World Bank, aimed at insuring trade within the region.
The agreement seeks to facilitate private sector-led trade flows, investment and productive activities through the provision of insurance, co-insurance and reinsurance, financial instruments and related services. It is open to all African Union members, corporate and regional body members.- The Sunday Mail
Labels: COMESA, INDUSTRIALISATION, ROBERT MUGABE
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President Mugabe urges Comesa to industrialise
Sunday, 16 October 2011 01:00
By Caesar Zvayi, recently in Lilongwe, Malawi
PRESIDENT MUGABE has urged Comesa member states to transform from being mere producers of raw materials by harnessing science and technology to process the raw materials or manufacture finished products to get maximum value from their natural resource endowments.
The President, who was addressing the main plenary on Friday evening, said the summit had convened at a time of great concern over the level of development in the Comesa bloc with many countries still preoccupied with plans, projects and policies for development at the expense of implementation.
Many of the economies in the region, President Mugabe said, focused on primary extractive industries that cry for value-addition through harnessing science and technology development.
He took the opportunity to apprise the meeting on Zimbabwe’s indigenisation and economic empowerment programme, saying all foreign-owned corporations were duty-bound to have 51 percent indigenous ownership and those who did not want to be bound by the law were free to ship out.
He encouraged the member states to insist on the beneficiation of their mineral resources and ensure that indigenous people have total control and ownership of their resources as the country has done through the indigenisation law.
‘‘You begin to worry that from the ’60s to this day, we have not found ways of adding value to them so that we can be the main producers of the more valuable products that come out of these raw materials. This is why I take it that was the reason why we found it necessary to address this theme of science and technology,’’ President Mugabe said.
The 15th Comesa Summit, which ended yesterday, was held under the theme, ‘‘Harnessing Science and Technology for Development’’. Africa, the President said, produces all conceivable raw materials, but exports them in raw form to the West from which it imports expensive finished products.
He cited the example of Zimbabwean, Tanzanian and Malawian tea, which, he said, was being branded as English tea by British firms in Dubai for sale the world over yet the African countries could brand it and get maximum returns from it.
‘‘Malawi has been producing tea for a long time, so have we; cotton for a long time, so have we. We have had processes that add value; spinning, weaving, but it should not stop there.
“The machines that do the weaving and spinning we have to import, why can’t our people make them? Haven’t we got the resources?
“We produce iron, Zimbabwe does, South Africa does. Probably other countries also produce iron. But where does our iron go? We export it, as ore, in some cases.’’ The President urged member states to work together in all areas of endeavour, saying there was power in numbers.
‘‘The products of our education, science and technology, we can share, pool our resources and see what development we can make.
“It’s one thing to work on a national basis to try to produce what you can produce alone, but when you are two, three, that’s in our African parlance, two hands, two minds . . . that gives you greater scope for development, greater scope for knowledge.’’
President Mugabe had earlier on signed the African Trade Insurance Agreement, a Comesa initiative supported by the World Bank, aimed at insuring trade within the region.
The agreement seeks to facilitate private sector-led trade flows, investment and productive activities through the provision of insurance, co-insurance and reinsurance, financial instruments and related services. It is open to all African Union members, corporate and regional body members.
- The Sunday Mail
Labels: COMESA, ROBERT MUGABE
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Mutharika bemoans slowness on Comesa policy implementation
By Ndinawe Simpelwe
Mon 17 Oct. 2011, 12:40 CAT
NEW Comesa chairperson Professor Bingu wa Mutharika says the region still faces the slow implementation of policies it formulates. President Mutharika of Malawi said despite the Comesa region managing to adopt the appropriate policies and regulatory environment, member states had failed to implement them.
He was speaking after he assumed office as new chairperson of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) Authority on Saturday.
"Much as Comesa has been successful in adopting the appropriate policy and regulatory environment, the biggest challenge remains the disconnect that exists between the policy statements and effective implementation at national level. There is also a related challenge that Comesa programmes are not fully reflected in our national growth and development strategy," he said.
President Mutharika said the failure to implement policies was causing limitations in the realisation of the benefits of the regional integration efforts.
He pledged to address the challenges faced by Comesa.
President Mutharika proposed the establishment of a robust regional science and technology park which would be a center of excellence and it would build the requisite skills and technology capacity for the region.
He also proposed the advancement of the African Food Basket as the pillar for food and security programme within the Comesa region.
"There is need to support the industrialisation programme for the region. Statistics indicate that 70 per cent of imports by member states are manufactured products. This is likely to erode the essence of regional integration if left to persist," said President Mutharika.
He took over office as chair of Comesa during the opening of the Summit of Heads of State and Governments at State House grounds in Lilongwe, Malawi on Saturday.
Sudanese President Omar al Bashir, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi witnessed the handover of the instruments of power by King Mswati III to President Mutharika.
Zambia's Vice-President Dr Guy Scott was also present at the summit.
The summit also discussed the Customs Union, whose transition period ends in June 2012.
The Comesa Customs Union was launched in 2009 but a transition period was immediately put in place to allow member states to align their policies to allow for its full implementation.
The need to further work together as building blocks of the African Union was emphasised during the first day of the summit and the tripartite grand Free Trade Area by Comesa, the EAC and SADC were discussed in detail.
Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, COMESA
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Mugabe praises Zambia’s Zim-educated white VP
16/10/2011 00:00:00
by Zambia Watchdog
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has commended Zambians on their just-ended elections saying peaceful power transferas opposed to the western bombardment as witnessed in Libya was the only way to build peace in Africa. He congratulated Dr Guy Scott on his ascension to the office of vice president of Zambia saying there was nothing odd in the development.
The President told delegates in Malawi as he addressed the Comesa Summit plenary Friday that at Independence in 1980, Zimbabwe had five whites in Cabinet – four from the Rhodesian Front of Ian Smith and an independent, the then agriculture minister Dennis Norman.
“We have had demonstrations of peaceful elections, the most recent one being in Zambia, that is the only way you can build peace, and that is the way to go,” the President said as he decried the Nato bombardment in Libya that has claimed thousands of innocent lives.
“To my brother who has been sitting next to me,” referring to Dr Scott: “Marondera where you were in school, the NDP formed in 1960, two years of life before it was banned by Ian Smith. We want to congratulate him for being elected, I think he will be the first white vice president,” the President said to applause from delegates.
“When we had our independence in 1980, we had five whites, four from Ian Smith, the other an independent. Dennis Norman, I think you know him, he was non-political but the others were political.
“We had them in the Cabinet for a start, so it shouldn’t surprise at all, you having been born here but of course Ian Smith and others.
“Well he is dead now and I hope God is resting him in heaven,” President Mugabe said bringing the auditorium down in mirth.
When Dr Scott was appointed Zambia’s vice president, some sections of the media claimed the move was likely to estrange Lusaka from Harare.
They claimed that President Mugabe and his Government were anti-white, a perception the Western media peddled in a bid to brand land reform a racist clampdown on white farmers.
On his part, Dr Scott told the gathering that his party’s name, the Patriotic Front and the clenched fist symbol, were all inspired by and derived from Zanu-PF.
“As you are aware Zambia held its tripartite elections, I can’t stop talking about this, on the 20th, of September 2011 in which the then opposition party, the Patriotic Front, to quote the phrase I stole from His Excellency President Robert Mugabe, he gave me permission to use it this morning, and it worked, the Patriotic Front emerged victorious under the leadership of Mr Michael Chilufya Sata,” Dr Scott said expressing surprise that the Western world seemed surprised that an African country could organise such a simple thing as a peaceful election.
He then told delegates that he and President Mugabe had come a long way.
“Maybe I could be allowed a little insertion here. We both worked out today that we were both members of the National Democratic Party, in his case 52 years ago, in my case 51 years ago. We were both members of the National Democratic Party in Southern Rhodesia.
“In this case that was 51 years ago. That (the NDP) was the parent of Zimbabwe’s nationalist movement, many, many years ago, that is how we know each other,” Dr Scott said Dr Scott was named vice president when new president Michael Sata announced his 19-member cabinet last month.
Born in 1944 in Livingstone, Zambia, Dr Scott was educated in Zambia and the then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
His late father, an ally of Zambia’s nationalists founded the African Mail, which is now the Zambia Daily Mail. He studied economics at Cambridge University and holds a PhD in cognitive science from the University of Sussex in England.
Scott joined active politics in 1990 when he joined the Movement for Multiparty Democracy. At its first convention, the MMD elected him chairperson of the agriculture committee.
Labels: COMESA, GUY SCOTT, LIBERATION, PF, ROBERT MUGABE, ZANU-PF
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Mutharika must admit that he erred, says Phiri
By Bright Mukwasa and Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 12 Oct. 2011, 15:10 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata's decision not to travel to Malawi is within international diplomatic norms, says a former Zambian envoy to Malawi. And SACCORD says the unfolding stand-off between Zambia's President Sata and the Malawian government is a serious matter which requires urgent attention.
In an interview, Milton Phiri, former high commissioner to Botswana and Malawi, said the move by President Sata to turn down an invitation to attend the Comesa heads of state summit taking place in Malawi was within normal diplomatic etiquette.
"President Sata cannot go to a country where he was harassed for being an opposition leader now that he has assumed Presidency of the republic without that country's formal apology to normalise diplomatic relations with it. Let President Bingu wa Mutharika swallow his pride and offer an unconditional apology to the President and the people of Zambia," Phiri said.
"This kind of a situation there is no way you can conduct business... everything becomes abnormal until a formal apology is offered by that government. At one time he wa Mutharika was a chief diplomat as chief executive of Comesa in this region so he should be in a better position to understand international relations. He does not have to find excuses here and there, let him just apologise."
Phiri said Michael Sata was now leader of a sovereign state and represented a sovereign people of Zambia and for that reason he deserved respect and recognition by other sovereign states, Malawi included.
He said President wa Mutharika must admit that he made a serious diplomatic error because even as leader of the opposition political party, Sata deserved respect and recognition as that was what amounted to democracy in any sovereign state.
"His President Sata freedoms and rights were trampled upon by the Malawian government. Let me remind wa Mutharika that his country is not going to be the first country to do so in this region. Chakufwa Chihana late Malawian opposition politician and trade union activist was at one time declared a prohibited Immigrant] by the Republic of Botswana. Immediately he was appointed second vice-president and minister of agriculture by then president Dr Bakili Muluzi his status was changed and normalised by the president of the Republic of Botswana."
Phiri said President wa Mutharika was schooled enough to understand and appreciate diplomatic practices and international relations as a yardstick in the conduct of international affairs.
And Southern Africa for the Constructive Resolutions of Conflicts and Disputes executive director Lee Habasonda said the stalemate was raising serious concerns as the matter had degenerated into a diplomatic gaffe and has the potential to negatively impact on the relations between the two countries if it was not addressed with haste and necessary diplomatic tact.
"We call upon Comesa to use its good offices to ensure that this matter, arising out of their summit in Malawi is addressed in the spirit of the desire to deepen regional integration and international cooperation. While the Zambian people will be represented through those delegated by the head of state, our assumption is that there were compelling reasons the summit invited heads of state and governments," Habasonda said.
"The failure by the Zambian head of state to attend the meeting as a protest is instructive and we believe Comesa as an inter-governmental body is best suited to intervene and help the situation. SACCORD is concerned about this matter for a couple of reasons; firstly, the stand-off creates tension at the level of Heads of states. This can consequently affect cooperation at all tiers of government."
Habasonda said the stand-off could affect how ordinary people would begin to relate to each other especially at border points and affect the levels of regional integration and cooperation.
"We urge for extreme caution and possibly direct communication between the two Presidents to resolve the matter so as to assure the citizens of the two countries that things are normal. We believe that this matter should no longer be left to the two countries' diplomats alone but the Heads of States themselves under the guidance of Comesa.
Comesa has in place a committee of elders who can ably speak to the two Presidents and ensure that the fallout is managed," he said.
"This altercation has provided two lessons for the Comesa region; the first one being that it exposes the levels of integration and cooperation in the region. The second one is that there are still prejudices against leaders of opposition parties in the region and there is need to ensure that this challenge is addressed among the member states."
President Sata demanded an apology over his deportation and the revocation of the prohibited immigrant declaration imposed on him in 2007.
Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, COMESA, MALAWI, SACCORD
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Sata turns down Comesa invitation
By Bright Mukwasa
Mon 10 Oct. 2011, 08:20 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has refused to attend the COMESA heads of state summit in Malawi due to the deportation order which was imposed on him by that country's government.
Speaking when Malawian High Commissioner David Bandawe delivered letters of congratulations on his election and of invitation to attend next week's Comesa summit of Heads of State and government in Lilongwe at State House yesterday, President Sata said he would not travel to Malawi although government would be represented by Vice-President Guy Scott and other government officials who would also take advantage to talk and express their indignation to that government over the issue.
"I have my Malawian lawyer Mr Ralph Kasambara who is representing me and your government is still insisting. So you find that on that basis I find it extremely difficult to go up to Malawi. Supposed a junior immigration officer wants to embarrass me and he bundles me again? Dr Bingu wa Mutharika would be very far, would be very remote and he is going to behave the same way they have behaved on this one," President Sata said.
"You are fully aware of the dilemma in which I am. You are fully aware that your government for no apparent reason just because I was in Blantyre to go and see Dr Bakili Muluzi, your government bundled, put me in some Land Rover and drove me all the way to Blantyre and then to the Zambian border. And your minister of information confirmed that I have been deported. Natural justice demands that the accused be heard.
"Your government has not been kind enough or courageous enough to tell me why they treated me in that way."
President Sata said that country's minister of information said that government decided to deport him because he was in opposition.
"In the Commonwealth I don't know if to be in the opposition is an offence to be treated the way I was treated. Your government has not bothered to apologise and if your government has not bothered to apologise and tell me what happened, they have not even apologised to my lawyer," he said.
"I thought when you are coming you were bringing a revocation of the deportation order or an apology from your government, but anyway you are just an envoy. And tell your minister of foreign affairs I would have loved to take this first international assignment, but unfortunately the predicament, the people of Zambia because of what the Malawi government did, the people were waiting to see what was I deported for and that delayed my coming to State House. When we campaigned in 2006 our colleagues in MMD were saying ‘oh, he was deported in Malawi' and all sorts of things. They put in lots of things'."
He said the deportation had brought with it a lot of political embarrassment at the time.
"I was even equally embarrassed where the Drug Enforcement Commission even came to bundle me up thinking that I am collecting money from Taiwan from Malawi through Bakili Muluzi. So once you rectify those things, I will be very willing to come to Malawi. But on this particular one, time is of essence. I don't think I will attend," said President Sata.
"But the government of Zambia will be represented by his honour the Vice-President, Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and they will come or they will go and tell your government in person their disgust and indignation."
However, President Sata said he was hopeful the two governments could work out solutions to the standoff and thanked the Malawian government for congratulating him and inviting his government for the Comesa summit.
"I will take these things and time is essence but will find ways and means of replying to both letters to his excellency the President Bingu wa Mutharika and use the fastest means to reach the President. But he knows very well the predicament in which I am and this predicament it is up to the two governments to resolve."
On March 15, 2007, President Sata, then opposition PF leader, was deported from Malawi shortly after arrival.
President Sata, who left Lusaka for Malawi around 12:00 hours was driven out of the country by 16:00 hours by that country's immigration officers to Mwami border in Eastern Province of Zambia.
At the time, the opposition leader described his deportation as political and his lawyer commenced legal action against the Malawian government for violating his rights.
However, then Malawian information minister Patricia Kaliati asked President Sata to stay out of Malawi, failure to which they would deal with him.
And President Sata has also permitted a request by a Malawian opposition political party to establish a broadcasting station in Eastern Province.
"Your leader of your opposition they run a radio station and television station in Malawi and they came to ask me if we can give them permission to have a station in Chipata. That's an investment, you are welcome. So you can have your Malawian radio and broadcasting not government that private one after all they speak Chewa so the people of Eastern Province will benefit. That at least you have an advantaged knowledge you can tell your government."
President Sata appealed to Zesco and the transport sector to pass on the benefit of fuel reduction onto the consumers.
"I would like to use your presence to say that we promised our people we want more money in the people's pockets. I would like to congratulate our energy sector for the reduction in the fuel and I would like to appeal to the millers, Zesco and bus and goods transporters to pass that benefit to the people so that people can have the benefit."
President Sata has also reinstated dismissed NAPSA finance director Doreen Chiwele and Copperbelt University students who were expelled for protesting against the appointment of Dora Siliya as education minister.
"In the same way students who were expelled at the Copperbelt University for protesting against the appointment of Dora 'bokosi' Siliya as minister of education, I'm therefore reinstating them with full government budget bursary. And then again this lady Doreen Chiwele, finance director at NAPSA, she was protesting about corruption. You know I am allergic to corruption.
She was protesting against the corruption of NAPSA giving billions to some local corrupt person Meanwood and because she was the financial director when she protested, they fired her. I am reinstating her. I am regarding that dismissal that she has been on leave, on full pay and she has been with immediate effect reinstated."
Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, COMESA, GUY SCOTT, MICHAEL SATA
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Sata to boycott Comesa summit over 2007 deportation
Monday, 10 October 2011 00:00
ZAMBIAN President Michael Sata will not attend the forthcoming Comesa Heads of State summit in Malawi, accusing that country's President Bingu wa Mutharika of
failing to apologise for unceremoniously deporting him in 2007. The meeting would have been President Sata's maiden international assignment following his election two weeks ago.
The Zambian leader was arrested in 2007 when he flew to Blantrye to hold talks with that country's former president Mr Bakili Muluzi. He was detained and declared a prohibited immigrant. President Sata was bundled into a vehicle and driven across the country to the Malawi-Zambia border in Chipata.
Malawi did not state reasons for the deportation. President Sata on Saturday rejected an invitation by President wa Mutharika to attend the Comesa Heads of State summit to be held on October 14 and 15.
President wa Mutharika had sent Malawi's ambassador to Zambia Mr David Bandawe with the invitation.
"You are fully aware of the dilemma in which I am with your government. Your government, for no apparent reason, declared me a prohibited immigrant when I went to visit an opposition leader," President Sata told the envoy.
"Your government has not apologised to me or my lawyer in Malawi and therefore I find it extremely difficult to go to Malawi. They bundled me and put me in a Land Rover and brought me back. Your government has not been courageous enough to apologise."
The Zambian leader said he initially thought the Malawi diplomat was bringing him an official apology.
"I thought when you were coming, you were bringing apologies . . . I would have loved to take this first international trip, but the people of Zambia and everybody knows that I was deported from Malawi," he said.
President Sata said he found it difficult to travel to Malawi for fear of possible embarrassment since immigration authorities there still regarded him a prohibited immigrant.
In a statement, Malawi's presidential spokesperson Hetherwick Ntaba said President Sata had been "cleared of the prohibited immigrant status".
"He is an institution, an embodiment of the wishes of the people of Zambia. We can no longer deal with Mr Sata as a person . . ."
"Under such circumstances, the fear of immigration embarrassment in Malawi for President Sata cannot arise in international diplomacy."
President Sata, then in opposition, sued the Malawi government for defamation and wrongful detention. The case is still pending in the courts and judgment is expected to be delivered in a few weeks time.
President Sata will be represented by Vice President Guy Scott, Foreign Affairs Minister Chishimba Kambwili and Commerce Minister Bob Sichinga.
On September 29, Reuters reported that the Malawi government had lifted the entry ban on President Sata, trying to head off a diplomatic spat before hosting the major regional conference.
Prior to the announcement, Zambian media had predicted that Sata would not go to the Comesa Summit because of the way he was treated in 2007.
- Lusaka Times/Reuters/The Herald.
Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, COMESA, DEPORTATION, GUY SCOTT, MALAWI, MICHAEL SATA
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Comesa ministers approve focus areas of ACTESA
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Mon 08 Aug. 2011, 11:59 CAT
COMESA Ministers of Agriculture have approved focus areas of the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) aimed at improving competitiveness of the staple foods market through enhanced micro and macroeconomic policies.
And
Comesa secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya has with immediate effect replaced ACTESA chief executive officer Dr Cris Muyunda with Dr Chungu Mwila, who has been Comesa director of investment promotion and private sector development.
According to a statement released on Friday, after the fourth joint meeting of the ministers of agriculture, environment and natural resources held in Swaziland, that the focus areas if implemented will result in a prosperous agricultural sector in the Comesa region.
It stated that ACTESA’s commitment to realising the market expansion, food and nutrition security objectives of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme must be reinforced.
“The key areas, which are outlined in the 10 year strategic plan, will focus on improved competitiveness of staple foods market through enhanced policies and other areas include improved and expanded market facilities and services for staple foods commercialisation and increased commercial integration of staple foods producers into national and regional markets,” the statement read.
And the Comesa Regional Agro-inputs Programme (COMRAP), which is aimed at contributing to improving rural food security and livelihoods, has been extended to the December 2011.
COMRAP was scheduled to end this month end and it is funded by the European Union and implemented by ACTESA.
It is expected that through COMRAP, three million smallholder farmers will have improved and sustainable access to agro-inputs and services in the Comesa region.
And Ngwenya said ACTESA has undergone institutional crisis and needed a man of Dr Mwila’s calibre to revive it and reconnect with cooperating partners such as national farmer groups grain associations and commodity exchanges, among other stakeholders.
Labels: ACTESA, AGRICULTURE, COMESA, SINDISO NGWENYA
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Comesa developing agro-processing sector strategy
By Mutale Kapekele
Tue 08 Mar. 2011, 04:00 CAT
COMESA is developing an agro-processing sector strategy in partnership with the International Trade Centre under the All-African Caribbean Pacific Agricultural Commodities Programme.
Available data shows that
in the developed countries, more than 98 per cent of all primary agricultural products are sold to agro processing facilities, while in the
Comesa region, only 30 per cent are sold to processing facilities. As a result, around
30 per cent of all cereals produced and up to 50 of fruit produced was wasted.
Comesa director of investment promotion and private sector development Dr Chungu Mwila described this as a gloomy picture that needed to be challenged and improved.
Recognising the challenge, Comesa, in collaboration with ITC under the All ACP Agricultural Commodities Programme, was developing the agro-processing sector strategy to capture the full value of production and create employment, reduce poverty levels and increase economic growth.
“The eventual strategy is intended to describe and prioritise
practical regional solutions and activities across all stages of agri-food sectors’ value chains,” Dr Mwila said.
“It will take into consideration the considerable body of existing work, studies, national strategies and regional policy instruments.”
Labels: AGRICULTURE, COMESA
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Burley tobacco ban could hurt Zim farmers
by Business Reporter
04/11/2010 00:00:00
AN international push to ban burley tobacco, a key ingredient in Marlboro and Lucky Strike cigarettes, could threaten the livelihoods of millions of tobacco workers in Zimbabwe and other countries in the region, an industry body said on Thursday.
The 170 countries and the European Union that have signed up to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are to debate the “guidelines” to ban burley at a meeting in Uruguay later this month.
If approved, states will have to decide for themselves whether to outlaw the variety, which goes into the “American blend” cigarette tobacco preferred by smokers in most Western markets.
However, farmers’ groups say it will have an immediate and huge impact on demand for a crop that is vital to many poor southern African countries.
“For southern Africa, this would be a catastrophe,” said Antonio Abrunhosa, chief executive of the International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA). “The biggest chunk of burley production comes from Africa,” he said.
At a summit in Swaziland in September, the 19-country Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), voiced its opposition to the mooted burley ban and said the WHO’s thinking about alternative crops was based on “wrong assumptions.”
Canada and Norway are leading the push for a burley ban as part of a plan to make cigarettes taste less smooth, thereby hoping to dent their attractiveness and help reduce the enormous public health costs of smoking.
While smoking rates are falling in US, Japan and western Europe, they are still rising in much of the developing world and health officials say this will cause a wave of cancer and other chronic illnesses in coming decades that health systems in poorer countries are ill-equipped to deal with.
According to the WHO and the World Lung Foundation, smoking currently kills around 5 million people a year worldwide and is expected to kill a billion people this century if trends hold.
“The idea is to look into ingredients and to look at restricting or inhibiting those which increase the attractiveness of tobacco products,” said Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesman for the WHO’s FCTC. “Countries are working hard in the best interests of public health.”
Growers argue a burley ban would be likely to make a difference only in rich countries that like “American blends.”
The WHO says it has noted the concerns of burley farmers, and says the Uruguay meeting will also discuss ideas for economically sustainable alternatives to growing tobacco.
But the ITGA cites a study by South African consultancy NKC Independent Economists that suggests a worst-case scenario of 3.6 million tobacco-related jobs being lost in nine African countries.
In Malawi, a country of 13 million people, the independent study says 700,000 farmers could go to the wall and the economy could contract by 20 percent next year if burley demand disappeared. Mozambique would lose 100,000 farmers, Uganda 77,000 and Zimbabwe 55,000, it added.
Abrunhosa said few of these farmers would have the means to switch to growing other more capital-intensive tobaccos than burley, and he argues there are no good substitute crops.
“The WHO lives on a different planet. It is not taking into account the huge impact it will have on developing countries’ economies, especially in Africa,” he said.
Marlboro cigarettes are made by Philip Morris International and Lucky Strike by British American Tobacco. Abrunhosa said the ITGA had received “some support” from the tobacco industry for its campaign against the burley ban.
Labels: COMESA, TOBACCO
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COMESA ministers endorse proactive approach in handling external shocks
By Mutale Kapekele
Thu 02 Sep. 2010, 14:40 CAT
COMESA ministers of foreign affairs have observed that the region should develop some financial and economic muscle if it is to be shielded from external economic shocks.
Moving a vote of thanks on behalf of her counterparts, during the official closing of the 10th meeting on Monday at Royal Swazi Spa Hotel, in Ezulwini, Swaziland, Malawi foreign affairs minister Professor Etta Elizabeth Banda said the region had economic potential which was yet to be realised.
“I believe our region has a lot of economic potential but these can only be realised if we comprehensively address the conflicts in our region,” Prof Banda said.
“As you are aware, we cannot certainly sit back and wait to feel the impact of external economic crisis because it will not only be too late to be able to do much, but it will also be much more costly.”
Prof Banda said Africa was endowed with abundant natural resources which were not only good for agriculture but also supported the harnessing of technologies like geothermal and solar technology.
She added that Comesa should take advantage of the region’s vast market, a wealth of human resource and affordable labour to generate projects that would benefit the region, saying these were the tools that could help make the region an economic powerhouse.
Prof Banda urged Comesa member states to unite if the goals of regional integration were to be achieved on time.
“We, however, also need to see ourselves as one region and not as 19 member countries because there is strength in unity,” said Prof Banda.
“On our part as ministers that consider the modalities of peace and security for the region, we would like to reassure you that we shall play our part and do everything possible to create an enabling environment for the development and integration of our region.”
Labels: COMESA, ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION, ETTA ELIZABETH BANDA
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COMESA appeals for US investment in Africa’s agro market
By Mutale Kapekele
Fri 06 Aug. 2010, 16:20 CAT
COMESA Secretary General Sindiso Ngwenya has appealed to American investors to consider investing in Africa’s agricultural market which provides a huge opportunity for growth.
In his address to the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum in Washington DC on Thursday, Ngwenya observed that with serious investments in agriculture, Africa had the potential to produce enough food for internal needs and international trade.
“We can produce enough for our needs and for the rest of the world as long as all challenges facing the farmers are dealt with, when farming is considered a business and when farmers get the necessary support from their respective governments and private sector,” Ngwenya said.
Quoting the Mckinsey and Company 2010 report, “Lions on the move”, Ngwenya said in 20 years, Africa’s collective Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would be US$2.6 trillion, its consumer spending US$1.4 trillion, the number of Africans of working age would be 1.1 billion, and 50 percent of the population would be living in cities by 2030, showing the huge potential of the continent.
He said regional integration through the tripartite COMESA, East African Community (EAC) and SADC agreement had created a bigger market which should be exploited.
Ngwenya said COMESA was addressing the challenges to agricultural development like infrastructure, technology and market related constraints through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP).
He said the way forward was to embrace new innovations and technologies that would efficiently support farming practices for higher and better quality yields, citing the continent’s huge irrigation potential.
And Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) chief executive officer Cris Muyunda said Africa was richer than the west imagined and offered many opportunities in commodity trade.
Speaking at the Kansas City agribusiness forum which is part AGOA 2010 Summit, Dr Muyunda who quoted from the Barrons’s business and financial weekly and African Investor, stated that it is time to invest in the “final frontier – Africa” and that “Africa is richer than you think.”
He told the forum that key areas ready for investment included agro-processing, warehousing and various commodities including, roots and tubers, oil seeds, livestock and fisheries, forest and natural products, tree and plantation crops and agriculture inputs.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, COMESA, SINDISO NGWENYA
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COMESA pushes for strengthening of regions farmer organizations
By Mutale Kapekele
Thu 24 June 2010, 15:00 CAT
COMESA has called for the strengthening of farmer organizations in the region for further development of the agriculture sector.
Addressing the sixth annual general congress for the Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) and the second Eastern and Southern Africa regional agricultural commodity workshop held in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) chief executive officer Dr Cris Muyunda said strengthening farmer organizations in the region would increase agricultural productivity.
ACTESA is a COMESA implementing arm for agriculture and related programs.
Dr Muyunda said strengthened farmer’s organizations would help to push for policies needed for sustainable agricultural sector growth.
“The importance of strengthening farmer organizations in the region as one of the critical focus issues in agriculture if there is to be smooth development of the sector,” Dr. Muyunda said. “With more compact and coherent farmer organizations, the dialogue with governments and regional economic communities is most likely to yield conducive policies for sustainable agricultural sector growth. This is the only way in which the commercialization and growth interests of smallholder farmers will be championed.”
He assured farmer organizations that, ACTESA, through its
Africa Agricultural Markets Program (AAMP) and other programs would assist national and regional farmer organizations to develop training, commercial and other marketing services in order to make the farmer organizations more attractive and appealing for grassroots organizations to join them.
Dr. Muyunda also noted that despite agriculture being the leading sector in terms of employment and livelihood in the region, it had fallen short of driving economic growth consistently.
He said ACTESA would like to contribute to higher productivity by encouraging participants in the agriculture sector to adopt modern methods of production and marketing.
“For example, correct use of modern biotechnology and increased use of irrigation can only benefit our farmers, and not hurt them. Indeed the 21st century belongs to those who are pragmatic and can seize the opportunities as they arise,” he said.
Dr. Muyunda urged the participants at the meeting to make use of the key programs at ACTESA, which helped in dealing with key market development issues.
These programs include the USAID supported Market Linkages Initiative; the Australian government sponsored SMART FS; the EU supported COMRAP and the DFID sponsored AAMP.
Dr. Muyunda further highlighted the importance of diversifying the production and marketing base in the region.
Labels: COMESA, FARMERS
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SMEs urged to learn new business techniques
Wednesday, May 26, 2010, 22:20
ZAMBIA Development Agency (ZDA) Regional Entrepreneurship Development Officer Shental Siajunza has called on Small and Medium Entrepreneur (SME ) business organisations to develop interest in learning new techniques in running their businesses.
ZDA Regional Entrepreneurship Development Officer made his call at a one day workshop organised by COMESA at Kasama Lodge on Monday this week.
Mr. Siajunza said SMEs should take advantage of the workshop and advance in running their business profitably and effectively through joining relevant trade organisations.
He pointed out that by linking with relevant organisations like COMESA they could avoid paying trade taxes to councils and exorbitant border charges.
Mr. Siajunza thanked Zambia national Commercial bank for sponsoring the workshop to expose the SMEs in Kasama to modern trade techniques and enhance the development of the district.
He further praised COMESA for offering free a free training kit to SMEs in Kasama which would go a long way in enhancing smooth business operations.
Mr. Siajunza pointed out that SMEs should making joint trips when importing items abroad to cut down on costs which could result into economic growth of their businesses.
Meanwhile Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) Head Business Banking SME Manager at Head office Chibamba Lopa said his Bank is proud to sponsor SME workshop to empower local businesses in national.
Mr. Lopa said ZANACO is aiming at promoting and empowering Small and Medium Business Entrepreneurship by providing conducive business climate to it clients and achieve economic growth.
The Head Business Banking SME Manager disclosed that his bank has reduced Bank interest rate to 20 Per cent from 32 with effect from May 1 this year.
Mr. Lopa added that ZANACO is also geared in offering short tern loans, credit facilities in overdrafts and make their customers comfortable by spending shorter times at their branches national wide.
[ZANIS]
Labels: COMESA, KASAMA, SMEs, TRADE, WORKSHOPS, ZDA
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