Tanzania grants free access for Uganda’s soya, sugar exports

Tanzania president John Magufuli  

By ISMAIL MUSA LADU

Kampala- Sugar, sunflower and soya exports originating from Uganda will now freely access Tanzanian after a consensus was reached during a high-level meeting at the Mutukula One Stop Border Post.

This was confirmed in a press statement by the Ministry of Trade, indicating that the above products had been cleared to enter Tanzania.
Tanzania had in the past few months prevented the entry of a number of goods from Uganda, prompting traders to protest.

However, following the bi-lateral meeting, the Tanzanian government agreed to grant import permits to Ugandan traders dealing in such goods.
The restrictions had been informed by allegation that Uganda imports sugar and repackages it before re-exporting it to regional markets.

Thus the sugar was denied preferential treatment, which subsequently created a lot of tension.

A joint verification was recently undertaken to verify the origin of sunflower and soya, which cleared the products as meeting EAC Rules of Origin.

The verification found that sunflower and soya meet required standards and would thus be accorded preferential market access.

However, the verification also found that palm edible oils does not meet EAC Rules of Origin.

The high-level meeting involving Minister of Trade Amelia Kyambadde and her Tanzanian counterpart Joseph G Kakunda, held at Mutukula One Stop Border Post, also discussed the elimination of existing non-tariff barriers and enhancement of cross border trade between the two countries.

The meeting was a follow up on exchange of numerous bilateral engagements between the two countries notably, the presidential visits, ministerial bilateral engagements and the joint permanent commission and the sectoral council on trade, industry, finance and investment.

It was also attended by permanent secretaries responsible for trade and high commissioners from the two countries.

The meeting also deliberated on a number of issues such as preferential market access for Ugandan sugar, road user fees charges on Ugandan trucks entering Tanzania and business pass of $100 for Ugandan business persons entering Tanzania.
iladu@ug.nationmedia.com