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Workers at a milk processing plant. Kenya’s change of heart is a blessing for Uganda’s milk powder producers. PHOTO | FILE | NMG

Authorities in Nairobi have placed order for more suppliers of milk powder from Uganda following reports that a drop in milk production is expected in the coming months.

The EastAfrican has learnt that the Kenya Dairy Authority has opened a window for more milk powder imports from Uganda as the July-August and December-February dry months approach. During these months, Kenya is usually plunged into a liquid milk production deficit, which pushes up prices.

“Kenya is to increase the number milk importation permits to more milk powder from Uganda which they have been restricting to be landed on their market,” Akankiza Mpiira, executive director at Uganda’s Dairy Development Authority told The EastAfrican.

Read: Kenya dairy imports from Uganda nearly triples to $210m

But Brookside Uganda is unlikely to benefit from this window, as authorities in Kenya maintain the ban on dairy products produced by the manufacturer. The firm owned by Kenya’s former first familiy has applied for 100 permits since March 2023, but has not been cleared to export to Kenya.

This leaves Pearl Diaries and Amos Diaries to take advantage of the milk powder market in Kenya, but the two are also not exporting as much to Kenya, which continues to keep out Uganda’s milk powder to create a market for liquid milk, especially during times of overproduction. 

Dairy industry players say that for each kilogram of milk powder locked out, a market for 10 litres of liquid milk is created.

“Liquid milk exports are accepted in Kenya but milk powder is restricted. This is because each kiligramme of powdered milk stopped, the market for 10 litres of liquid milk is protected,” the DDA says.

Despite the unpredictability of the Kenya export market, the country’s appetite for Ugandan milk remains high. South Sudan, Tanzania, DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Somalia closely follow in that order. Combined, Uganda exports 86.6 per cent per cent of its milk within the EAC market.

Kenya’s change of heart is a blessing for Uganda’s milk powder producers. They ramped up production with hopes of exporting to Algeria, but a year after the market was secured no powder has left the Kampala and Mbarara powder milk plants for Algiers.

Read: Uganda turns to N. Africa for milk market

Ugandan powder milk makers have adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards the Algerian market, discouraged by the low prices the buyers in Algerian are offering.

“The price of powder milk is too low for manufacturers to recover the production and delivery costs,” a dairy industry expert explained, saying it has become expensive to deliver the milk.

The continued attacks on commercial ships by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have forced shippers to reroute vessels, leaving the Mombasa port to off the South African coast to avoid a shorter route off the Somalia coast to the Gulf, which eats into margins of the milk processors.

Information from maritime players indicates that the cheapest way to ship the milk from Kampala is by loading it on a truck from Kampala to Mombasa port, transfer to a vessel, and ship to Algiers port.

The route’s total transit time is estimated at around 30 days, including loading and unloading operations at origin and destination as well as terminal handling at transit terminals freight rate of $7,003.

Uganda manufacturers foresee a hard landing in the Algeria milk market due to low price offerings for their products, amid high freight costs fueled by attacks on ships on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in the Middle East by Houthi rebels.

Read: Red Sea crisis fuels fresh wave of EA rate hikes

In Uganda, the average ex-factory price of milk powder is Ush18,500 ($4.8) per kg, which means the processors need to more than double the price of the product in Algeria to post a profit.

“The processors foresee smaller margins. That is why they are delaying to ship the milk to Algeria,” Mpiira told The EastAfrican.

The Uganda milk industry was betting on the $500 million milk export market in Algeria after the country’s liquid milk production crossed 3.8 million metric tonnes in the full year ending December 31, 2023.

Despite the market entry challenges, milk powder is now the most exported product accounting for approximately 54.2 per cent of the total exports followed by UHT at 33.1 per cent, trading data from DDA indicates.

Uganda state minister for animal industry Bright Rwamirama says the dairy industry is contributing significantly to Uganda’s economy, providing livelihoods for millions of people and contributing to food security and nutrition.

The sector contributes 6.5 percent of the country’s agricultural GDP. The prevailing supportive investment climate has equally contributed to a steady inflow of foreign direct investment in the large-scale dairy processing category. By KABONA ESIARA, The East African

Cabinet Secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu 

Education ministers from 12 African countries will converge in Nairobi on Monday for the 6th Forum of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET). 

They will be discussing strategies to strengthen Africa’s capabilities in preparing manpower needed, for modern industrial economies in Africa.

The conference to be held between April 23-25, 2024, brings together the academia, industry and governments across Africa to discuss the future of skills, education and entrepreneurship in the continent.

The theme of the conference is “Leveraging Technical, Vocational and Technical Training (TVET) in the knowledge and skills ecosystem for Africa’s industrialisation”.

The minister will particularly discuss the role of African higher education in shaping the Continent’s green economy and the future of work. More than 500 participants are expected to attend the forum.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Education Dr Ezekiel Machogu said: “Africa’s socio-economic transformation relies on its ability to develop relevant skills, and promote scientific research and technology for industry and society.”

He added: “It is evident that our collective efforts are not only driving the advancement of science, technology and innovation in Africa but are also laying the foundation for socio-economic transformation across our nations. I am in no doubt that the objectives we set to achieve in the 6th PASET Forum will be achieved,” Dr Machogu added.

Also on the agenda is the nature and type of knowledge and skills required for Africa’s industrialisation, specifically the development and diffusion of digital technologies like AI, robotics, and data analytics in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the continent.

Kenya’s Ministry of Education is collaborating with the PASET Secretariat, and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) – the Regional Coordination Unit for PASET’s Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund(RSIF) – to organise the event.

Several PASET countries will share their experiences and expectations of how skills should evolve and prepare the continent’s youth for the future of work and industrialisation.

The Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) scholars, together with their mentors, supervisors and other stakeholders, in the higher education sector in Africa and abroad will showcase their work addressing needs for the green economy and future of work. This will include the contributions of sectors like food security and agribusiness, AI and data science, climate change, energy and minerals, mining and materials sciences.

Chair of the PASET Executive Board based in Senegal, Prof Aminata Diallo said: “The need to fill the skills gap in applied sciences, engineering, and technology and foster socio-economic transformation of Africa is what has motivated African governments to implement PASET since 2013 with support of the World Bank.”

PASET is a unique Africa-led initiative, which focuses on building skills for key economic sectors that support Africa’s socio-economical transformation, from the upper-secondary/TVET level to postgraduate education and scientific research.

Currently, the PASET programme has 12 members namely the Governments of Rwanda, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Benin, Tanzania, Somalia, Burkina Faso and Kenya.

It is governed by African Education Ministers, scientists, development, business leaders and African academics and is facilitated by the World Bank. By Margaret Kalekye, KBC

Today Viva Technology is announcing the Top 45 startups shortlisted for the third edition of the AfricaTech Awards, a pan-African initiative that identifies and supports innovative impact startups across the continent.

For the third year running, the AfricaTech Awards aim to highlight innovative startups contributing to the development of the African continent in three categories: Climate Tech, Health Tech and FinTech. A new addition to this year's FinTech category is E-Commerce, a sector that could create around 3 million new jobs on the African continent by 2025. 

VivaTech and its Knowledge Partner, Deloitte, selected the startups in the running for the 2024 awards from more than 310 applications. 

The E-Commerce & FinTech category attracted the highest number of entries (148), followed by Climate Tech (86) and Health Tech (79). The addition of E-Commerce to the FinTech category is generating a huge amount of enthusiasm, partly because of the importance that the sector is likely to have in the coming years. Indeed, e-commerce in Africa is expected to reach more than 83.5 million consumers by 2029, an increase of +56%. 

Of the startups in this ranking, 42% are founded or co-founded by a woman, and nearly 90% have at least one woman on their board of directors. 

Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt respectively take the podium as the countries with the highest participation rates among the 37 African countries represented. This winning trio has occupied the top three places in this ranking since 2022.

"In this new shortlist for the AfricaTech Awards, Africa demonstrates all the richness and dynamism of its startup ecosystem and positions itself as the continent to watch for tech and digital innovation. Viva Technology is delighted to make this African reality known to the whole world and to connect it to the stakeholders who will enable it to reach its full potential. This has been one of VivaTech's commitments since its inception, and this year it will once again be one of the key themes of our event," explains François Bitouzet, Managing Director of Viva Technology.

Aymen Mtimet, Partner Advisory at Deloitte Francophone Africa, adds: "Against a global backdrop of slowing investment, African ecosystems are continuing to improve their global positions, thanks in particular to the continent's demographic dividend. 2024 will undoubtedly be an exciting year, thanks to the dynamism of the continent and the development of new trends, particularly in Deeptech and AI."

Following a second evaluation by a panel of experts made up of partner c-level executives, investors and incubator CEOs, the three best startups in each category will have the opportunity to take part in the 2024 edition of Viva Technology, which will take place from 22 to 25 May in Paris. 

These startups have been selected for the tangible impact their activities have on society or the environment, the development of an outstanding innovation, the scalability of their business on the African market, and the establishment of a diverse and experienced staff. 

The winners will be announced at the AfricaTech Awards ceremony taking place Friday 24 May on Stage 1 in the presence of Edouard Mendy, the patron of this year's event. As the winner of both the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year and The Best FIFA Goalkeeper of 2021 – and the first African goalkeeper in football's history to win both awards – Edouard Mendy is also deeply committed to the development of the African tech sector, in which he is a prominent investor.

"I am deeply honored to support the AfricaTech Awards organized by VivaTech. Showcasing innovation and technology from Africa is crucial to its development and global reach. As a supporter, I am excited to contribute to this great initiative that celebrates Africa's talent and potential in tech. Together, we can create a future where Africa is positioned as a leader in innovation, and I look forward to seeing the extraordinary achievements that will emerge from these prizewinners." - Edouard Mendy

The 45 startups retained for the rest of the competition (listed in alphabetical order)

The top 15 startups in the E-commerce & FinTech category, sponsored by Airtel and Cassava Technologies, are:

agriBORA - Kenya

AgroCenta - Ghana

Chari - Morocco

Dojah - Nigeria

Futa - Cameroun

Happy Pay - South Africa

Inclusivity Solutions - South Africa

Jem - South Africa

Leja - Kenya

Ozow - South Africa

PremierCredit - Zambia

Pricepally - Nigeria

SecondSTAX - Ghana

valU - Egypt

YMO - France / Guinea

 

The top 15 startups in the Climate Tech category are:

RubilabsVet (Agpreneur) - Nigeria

FLOEWS - Nigeria

Hysper Tech - Zambia

Immobazyme - South Africa

INNOVAHYPER Technologies - Rwanda

InterSIP International - Senegal

IPREN (Smart’O) - Niger

MazaoHub - Tanzania

Octavia Carbon - Kenya

Rethread Africa - Kenya

Schoolz - Egypt

Sensor Networks - South Africa

Solar Dev - Burkina Faso

SOSO CARE - Nigeria

Zebra CropBank - Nigeria

 

The top 15 startups in the Health Tech category are:

AfyaRekod - Kenya

Bulamu Bridge AI (My FemiHub App) - Uganda

Famasi Africa - Nigeria

Healthtracka - Nigeria

Clinicaa (INFINITUS) - Togo

Pharmacy Marts - Egypt

Remedial Health - Nigeria

Rology - Egypt

STAR UP KOBIKA NA NDAKU - Democratic Republic of the Congo

SURGiA - Egypt

Thalia Psychotherapy - Kenya

TIBU Health - Kenya

UltraTeb - Egypt

Zencey - Ivory Coast

Zuri Health - Kenya

By JULIUS MBALUTO 

Kenya's CDF Gen Francis Ogolla was buried today. Leaders came from all parts of Kenya to attend his funeral in his home at Ng'iya , Siaya County , Kenya. President Ruto spoke at the funeral saying General Ogolla influenced many Kenyans including members of his family, daughter Charlene and his wife who insisted that they had to attend the General's burial. 

The departed General was buried according to his wishes. He had instructed while alive that upon his death, he should buried without a casket and his body should be wrapped in cheap sheets. While speaking about his father, his son Joel Ogolla spoke drawing attention to his father's simplicity and great service to the country. He said his father was great golfer, would do fifty push ups per day and run. he served his country, build schools and churches. 

Opposition leader Raila Odinga called for investigation to the cause of the helicopter crash which killed the General and 8 others on board. He said that the General loved his country and was ready to die for his country. Raila said that General Ogolla believed in Justice. He said Justice can be our shield and defender if there is democracy, no discrimination, no tribalism. 

Different leaders from across Kenya paid tribute to the fallen General. Raila said that General Francis Ogolla would never have contemplated to go to Bomas of Kenya to force former IEBC Chairman Chebukati to alter the results of last general election in 2022. He said that narrative fronted by UDA leaders including President Ruto must be removed. 

Those who spoke at Ulinzi Sports Complex praised the General, sharing their encounters with him, how disciplined he was, brave and committed to Kenya. General Francis Ogolla was Kenya's 11th military Chief and was respected widely. Upon his death, the national, KDF and East African flags flew at half-mast. he leaves a great legacy. 

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has warned developing countries facing a high risk of debt distress against issuing more Eurobonds.

The UN agency, through its latest Trade and Development Report (April 2024), says the issuing of high-risk bonds, also referred to as non-investment grade or junk bonds, attracts high costs due to the risk premium investors demand. This, the report says, has huge implications for the debt dynamics of the affected countries grappling with low economic growth rates.

“Implicit borrowing costs, gauged by yields, are substantially above existing borrowing costs, as measured by the average weight of existing bond coupons. The difference is especially large for non-investment grade countries,” the agency says.

“Consequently, countries capable of issuing bonds do so at higher coupon rates, compared with bonds being currently repaid. This has detrimental effects on debt dynamics, especially in a context of low economic growth, and more broadly on the allocation of public spending.”

Read: Africa’s creditors come calling as debt distress looms large

Non-investment grade bonds usually carry lower credit ratings from the leading credit agencies. For instance, a bond is considered non-investment grade if it has a rating below BB+ from Standard & Poor’s and Fitch, or Ba1 or below from Moody’s.

Bonds with ratings above these levels are considered investment grade.

UNCTAD cited Benin, Côte d'Ivoire and Kenya, who had been shut out of bond markets for most of 2022 and 2023, among eight non-investment grade countries that raised $17 billion through Eurobonds in the first quarter of 2024.

On the other hand, five countries rated investment grade issued bonds for $28.5 billion.

In total, bond issuing by developing countries in the first quarter of 2024 soared to $45.5 billion, a record high for this period of the year.

In January, Cote d’Ivoire’s Eurobond attracted a subscription of over $8 billion from more than 400 investors as the country raised $2.6 billion through two bonds with tenures of eight and 13 years respectively, at single-digit interest rates.

Read: Ivory Coast bond sale gives Kenya hope of more Eurobonds market

The debt instruments carried respective interest rates of 6.3 percent and 6.85 percent for the eight-year and 13-year bonds respectively.

In February, Benin’s sovereign bond was oversubscribed by six times as demand for riskier assets in the emerging markets grew, amid expectations that the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rate this year.

The West African nation received $5 billion demand against a target of $750 million on a 14-year bond priced at 8.375 percent. In the same month, Kenya’s National Treasury issued a $1.5 billion Eurobond that was priced expensively to global investors to be able to make partial repayment of a $2 billion bond that is maturing in June and allay fears of the possibility of default.

On the new seven-year bond, the Kenyan government will pay interest at an annual rate of 9.75 percent, compared with a rate of 6.875 percent on the maturing 2014 issue.

The UN agency notes that since early 2024, sovereign bond sales for some developing countries have resumed, buoyed by a thaw in the financial markets and on the expectations of interest rate cuts in major developed economies.

“Strong bond issuance in the first quarter of 2024, though uncertainties persist for the remaining part of the year and market access remains uneven,” it says.

“The debt and development crises faced by many developing countries continues to worsen. The increase in public resources and export revenues that must be channeled towards public and publicly guaranteed debt service (to cover both the principal and interest payments) is a key dimension of the current crisis.”

According to the report, developing countries paid close to $50 billion more to their external creditors in 2022 than they received in fresh disbursements, with private creditors accounting for most of the change in the direction of net transfers.

While between 2021 and 2022 debt service to these creditors remained stable (at about $260 billion), disbursements declined by 45 percent, from over $300 billion to less than $170 billion.

This waning of private creditors’ appetite for developing countries’ public debt resulted in the lowest disbursement levels since 2011.
As a result, during this period, net transfers on public and publicly guaranteed debt from private creditors switched from an inflow of over $40 billion to an outflow of about $90 billion.

“The surge in net negative transfers is tied to a significant decrease in access to fresh financing for numerous countries,” the report says.

“This decline stems from various factors, including higher interest rates in developed countries, deteriorating global financial conditions and mounting concerns about debt distress in developing countries. This dynamic is reflected in the lowest levels of external sovereign bond issuance during 2022 and 2023 in the last 10 years, plummeting to one third of the peak reached in 2020.”

The report notes that the renewed access to market financing is a welcome development, particularly for non-investment grade countries, many of whom are at high risk of or in debt distress.

However, concerns remain regarding the sustainability and extent of market access in the outlook period.

“Overall, the deterioration of key determinants of debt dynamics underlines the structural nature of debt challenges faced by developing countries,” the report says.

According to the report, lack of progress on multilateral solutions in addressing the different components of this complex debt problem including low economic growth, profit shifting and base erosion, commodity dependence, high climate vulnerability and significant financing costs, absence of global financial safety net and effective multilateral sovereign debt resolution mechanisms further exacerbates the burdens faced by populations in developing countries in the form of larger fiscal adjustments and puts at risk the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. By JAMES ANYANZWA,  The East African

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