Private Sector Stakeholders meet in Mwanza to discuss Non Tariff Barriers

Mwanza 25th  May,2015: Tanzania Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA) has organized a two days Private Sector Stakeholders Forum from 26th to 27th May to discuss on the Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) impeding transit trade and exportation of Tanzania originating products to the East African Community Region and other regions such as Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The Private Sector Stakeholders' forum will bring together key players in the trade including Private Sector Organizations (PSOs) and some economic operators. The participating PSOs includes; Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC), Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TAFFA), Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE), Agriculture Council of Tanzania (ACT), Tanzania Milk Processors (TAMPA), Leather Association of Tanzania (LAT), Tanzania Truck Owners Association (TATOA), Vikundi vya Biashara Ndogondogo (VIBINDO). They meet to share the success stories realized so far in fighting against NTBs, Share the existing challenges, share experience in the work of advocacy for the better business environment and deliberate on a new combined strategy in addressing the pending NTBs.

The forum is organized by TCCIA in partnership with Trademark East Africa. Trade Mark East Africa has been supporting TCCIA to implement the Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) Project since 2012.The support includes technical support, supply of important equipments including computers, servers, scanners and facilitation of various project related trainings, seminars, meetings and promotional campaigns. Trade Mark East Africa has invested in the project about USD 1.2million.

Through this project TCCIA has managed to develop two systems that have been helpful in creating a conducive business environment by lowering the cost of doing business in Tanzania and in the EAC region as a whole. The two systems are; NTBs SMS and Online Reporting and Monitoring System an IT based tool that enables exporters and importers to report NTBs once they are encountered along the trade corridors, at the borders or at government institutions' offices. Since its establishment in 2012 the system has captured 85 NTBs and 54% of them have been eliminated.  Electronic Certificate of Origin is another new system of its kind in the EAC region developed by TCCIA under the support of TMEA. 

This system enables exporters to apply for Certificates of Origin electronically and get them approved on line by the competent authority. This system cuts down transporter's cost of processing the document by 50%. Since it started its operation in July, 2014 it has facilitated issuance of about 300 certificates. More than 300 exporters are trained throughout the country on the usage of the system. TCCIA has also supported Uganda to develop the NTBs SMS and Online System and it is currently working  with Burundi and Kenya to extend similar support.