Uganda's High Commissioner to Tanzania, Ambassador Col. (Rtd) Fred Mwesigye, yesterday held discussions with Tanzania's Minister of Trade, Dr. Selemani Saidi Jafo, regarding the escalating tariffs imposed on Ugandan exports. Key products such as iron bars, iron sheets, tiles, and glass have been significantly affected by the tariffs imposed by the Tanzania Revenue Authority.
Minister Jafo recommended that the High Commissioner submit an official letter to the Ministry of Trade to address the matter, aiming to ease the flow of goods and services within the East African Community (EAC), in alignment with the regional goals.
Amb. Mwesigye also proposed a cross-border meeting with key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Security, to delve deeper into the trade challenges. The Minister agreed to this approach.
The meeting comes amid rising concerns from the East African Business Council (EABC) regarding Tanzania’s proposal to impose an Industrial Development Levy (IDL) on goods originating from the EAC. The EABC has expressed that this levy would violate the EAC Customs Union Protocol, potentially skewing the playing field and disadvantaging goods from other member states. They have called for an exemption for EAC-originating goods to ensure compliance with the EAC’s regulations and directives.
