Dr Mengi to clerics: Help people to debate gas economy soberly

IPP Executive Chairman, Dr Reginald Mengi yesterday appealed to religious leaders to soberly discuss views aired on the need to empower Tanzanians to take part in and own the natural gas economy.

“It is very crucial for clerics to understand well the views aired by people on issues related to natural gas. This will help them to educate others.

As the private sector we don’t want individuals to own natural gas blocks, we want them owned by Tanzanians through groups. This is the only way to empower low income citizens,” said Dr Mengi when addressing journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

IPP Executive Chairman, Dr Reginald Mengi

Appeal made for Tanzania to destroy its ivory stockpile

African Wildlife Foundation CEO, Dr. Patrick Bergin talks to The Guardian Staff Writer Angel Navuri, on the war against poaching currently being wage by many African countries including Tanzania. He says in part that a live elephant is much more valuable in terms of sustaining the tourism industry than a dead one and has asked African countries to make sure that the continent preserves the jumbos…

China's decision to burn more than six tons of confiscated ivory in Guangzhou (Dongguan) has been applauded by many, as China is considered to be major a market for African ivory.

QUESTION: China’s decision to burn more than six tons of confiscated ivory in Guangzhou (Dongguan) has been applauded by many, as China is considered to be major a market for African ivory, claiming the lives of as many as 35,000 African elephants annually. Even our neighbour (Kenya) at one time burnt them. What do we learn from such decision?

ANSWER: I think what we learn is that there is a growing consensus among the international community that the trade in ivory should be discontinued forever. When countries like Kenya and the United States—and now China—destroy their ivory stockpiles, what they are really saying is that they do no foresee any conditions or time in the future when selling ivory will be possible or even desirable.

In light of this growing consensus and trend, Tanzania may also want to consider its policy and practice on ivory stockpiles. It is almost inconceivable given current conditions that CITES will allow international sales of ivory for many years to come. For this reason, Tanzania should consider joining the other countries in destroying their stockpile.

QUESTION: While the government has seriously initiated anti-poaching campaign yet it is planning to sell its stockpiled ivory (137 tons) worth over USD$ 80mn stored in Dar es Salaam’s tight security Ivory Room. What does the move signifY?

ANSWER: Tanzania’s overall policy with regard to protecting elephants must be consistent. It seems counterproductive to invest so much in an anti-poaching campaign to protect elephants while at the same time advocating to sell the very thing—ivory—that is putting them in jeopardy. In 2012, the Tanzania government submitted a proposal to CITES to be allowed to sell its stockpiled ivory.
Part of the problem, in many countries, is that the penalty for committing a wildlife crime is simply too weak. A convicted poacher or trafficker might face a small fine or a couple of days in jail before they’re released. Tough laws and strong penalties are needed to dissuade potential poachers and traffickers from even thinking about killing an elephant or smuggling ivory. We hope that other countries, including Tanzania, will follow Kenya’s lead and strengthen their wildlife laws.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Traders' company all set to help SMEs import goods from China

Tanzanian traders who operate their businesses between China and Tanzania have formed a special company that gives opportunity to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to easily import goods from China.

Justine Luvanda, China World Buz, Executive Director

The firm dubbed ‘China World Buz’ formed by Tanzanian business people is meant to assist SMEs to import goods from China at a reasonable cost, with bigger returns.

Briefing reporters in Arusha over the weekend, the company’s Executive Director, Justine Luvanda said the programme is meant to provide a relief to businessmen and women with limited capital to boost their financial capitals by importing Chinese goods with small amount of money.

“What we are doing now is to educate business people on how to get involved in the platform,” Luvanda said, adding that the new form of business will help the business community excel.

When asked about the security of the arrangement, the official assured the public saying: “This business is very transparent, people should be aware of that and when loss occurs during importation they will be compensated by this company.”

Shafii Swed, the firm’s Executive Officer in Tanzania described the company as the first and very unique in the country, “We are licensed to do this.”

The firm also tries to cement business and bilateral relations between Tanzania and China.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Can we host CAF 2019 tournament?

Tanzania Football Federation President Jamal Malinzi recently disclosed that Tanzania will seek to host the Confederation of African Football youth championship lined up for 2019.

He added that, as one way of making sure that the country’s junior team performs well in the tournament, plans to form a national Under-12 outfit were already well in progress.

Malinzi elaborated that the side would bring together young talent from all Mainland and Zanzibar districts, the idea being that it would undergo intensive training for such a long time that it would be ripe for the 2019 continental assignment.

Editorial Cartoon

According to the TFF president, players to form the team would be so nurtured as ultimately to form a national team to compete in the senior CAF championship and seek to qualify for the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup.There are few short-cuts to success in life generally, and soccer is no exception. For a country to make it in the game, young players must be trained and groomed rigorously – and at high cost – before they can withstand pressure at senior level.

In the circumstances, TFF ought also to make it a mandatory for all soccer clubs in the country to have departments or people whose main responsibility will be to scout for talents in across the country.

Yes, we could be having many talented young players even in villages, but they are rarely given the opportunity to display their worth – and, whenever they do, talent scouts are often nowhere in sight.

TFF ought to cooperate with the corporate world in organising serious youth tournaments, preferably running continually around the year. Here we don’t mean holding only tournaments aimed at promoting new products and services but even those merely seeking to groom budding players into soccer greats.

The national soccer governing body should also make sure that there are facilities right down to district and lower levels where it’ll be easy to notice hidden talent.

We believe that if the TFF leadership devises and implements appropriate and workable strategies, we can surely host CAF 2019 with much hope of doing well. Well done, Malinzi, for deciding to plan early.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

EA states launch cross-border payments system

East Africa's biggest economies have launched an integrated real-time cross-border payments system designed to remove bottlenecks to business and bolster intra-regional trade, Kenya's central bank said yesterday.

The East African Payments System (EAPS) is an early step towards the creation of a monetary union within the five nation East African Community (EAC) trade bloc, which member states hope to establish within 10 years.

"EAPS will facilitate trade within the region and is a quick win for the EAC," the Central Bank of Kenya said in a statement.

Each member state currently has its own banking payment systems, meaning cross-border transfers take from one to two days, bankers say.

East African Community (EAC)

EAPS will enable people in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to make and receive payments in real time, speeding up the process of commercial transactions. Rwanda and Burundi, whose banking structures are less advanced, will join later.

A common currency remains a long way off, analysts say. Member states first need to implement the free movement of labour, goods and services. Tanzania, Africa's fourth-largest coffee producer after Ethiopia, Uganda and Ivory Coast, produces mainly arabica and some robusta coffee. Prices of its arabica normally track the New York market while those of robusta take their cue from London.

The TCB said New York markets fell by $0.39 per 50 kg, while London markets were up by $3.30 per 50 kg.

East African coffee is normally packed in 60-kg bags, but the prices are quoted for quantities of 50 kg.

The TCB says it expects the 2013/14 crop to fall to 45,000 tonnes from around 71,600 tonnes in the previous season, the highest output in 20 years.
The next auction will be held on Thursday.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

DEBATE ON SAFEGUADING OUR NATIONAL INTEREST

THERE WILL BE A HOT DEBATE AS WHETHER WE TANZANIANS ARE BENEFIT OR LOOSING IN OUR ENGAGEMENT IN PEACE KEEPING ACTIVITIES, THE VENUE WILL BE AT UNIVERSITY OF DODOMA, SOCIAL SCIENCES IN THEATERS AT 1400 HOURS ON FRIDAY 06TH DECEMBER, 2013.