The move by RwandAir to start direct commercial flights to Mumbai, India in quarter two of the year will ease market access and help reduce transport costs, the business community and experts have said. It could also boost tourism arrivals, they added.   The development follows the signing of bilateral air services agreements between Rwanda and India during the 8th Vibrant Gujarat Summit, a global business forum in India, early this week,.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 16th January 2017

MPs in the Lower Chamber of Parliament yesterday started a ten-day tour across the country to assess both government and privately initiated projects that have been driving economic development of citizens over the last seven years.   The visits, which will be held in each of the country's 30 districts from yesterday up to January 21, are in line with Parliament's mandate to assess government programmes and the MPs will draw.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 16th January 2017

United Nations — The UN's Administrative and Budgetary Committee (Fifth Committee) has approved a $40 million project to retrofit the premises of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok, as part of the upgrades of UN Commission buildings, including the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa.   The project, described as "the most cost-effective, low-risk and viable.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 16th January 2017

The EC140D comes with a Tier 2 engine and combines fuel efficiency, hydraulic performance, and operator comfort with wide attachment options   Volvo CE has introduced its new excavator, the EC140D, to the Middle East and Africa market in the 12-16t weight class.   The Swedish equipment giant said in a statement that the new machine is equipped with a Tier 2 compliant engine, which makes it suitable for the region. The model’s.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 11th January 2017

Dar es Salaam — China has pledged more development support for Tanzania to enable the country meet targets set in the 2016/20 National Development Plan and achieve the ambition to build the industrial economy.   The Chinese minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Wang Yi, issued the promise during official talks with his Tanzanian counterpart, Dr Augustine Mahiga in the city. Mr Yi had paid a day-long official visit.   He said, China.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 11th January 2017

The completion of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway, a new 752km track linking Ethiopia’s capital with the Port of Djibouti, was officially marked today at a ceremony at Nagad Railway Station in Djibouti.   In the presence of Djibouti’s President, His Excellency Ismail Omar Guelleh, and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, His Excellency Hailemariam Desalegn, and senior officials from across the region, the new railway linking.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 10th January 2017

Private sector players in the country have appealed to the government to amend the Special Economic Zone Act and the Tanzania Investment Act to enable the country set up modern industrial parks to attract more investments, particularly from China.   The Executive Director of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), Mr Godfrey Simbeye, made the call in Dar es Salaam yesterday ahead of one-day working visit by China's Foreign Affairs.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 10th January 2017

Envisaged construction of Kidunda dam in Morogoro to supply water in Dar es Salaam will be implemented as planned despite opposition from conservationists who claim that the project will impact negatively the flow of water in Rufiji River and eventually affect flora and fauna in Selous Game Reserve.   The Minister for Water and Irrigation, Engineer Gerson Lwenge, maintained yesterday that various studies had proved that the project will.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 10th January 2017

Construction of 359 kilometer Pangale to Mpanda road to tarmac level funded by African Development Bank (AfDB) will speed up economic growth in Tabora and Katavi regions.   Tanzania Regional Roads Agency (TanRoad) Tabora Regional Manager Mr Damian Ndabalinze said the road will open up new investment opportunities to benefit the surrounding societies and the economy. He said the implementation of the road project will also involve bees.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 10th January 2017

Virtual crime has become an unpleasant reality of our times, leaving not even the field of construction equipment untouched.   Cybercrime comes with significant cost. It was been estimated that the global economic cost of combating cybercrime could reach $400 billion, according to a report entitled “Net Losses: Estimating the Global Cost of Cybercrime”, published by the McAfee Centre for Strategic and International Studies a.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 9th January 2017

Antananarivo — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Saturday that China welcomes African countries to join the Belt and Road Initiative.   The initiative was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in hope for common development and common prosperity with countries that identify themselves with this proposal, said Wang at a joint press conference with his Madagascar counterpart.   This proposal is the most important.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 9th January 2017

You don't need to have studied the Kigali City Master Plan to figure out the City of Kigali and the government's vision of what the capital and its outskirts are supposed to look like in five years going forward. But to get there, many changes are inevitable.   Like the latest directive from the City of Kigali that affects businesses and non-business entities operating from residential buildings. The City has given them three months to.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 9th January 2017