In a significant development in US-African relations, the US Department of Commerce announced the launch of the US-Tanzania Commercial Dialogue, strengthening its commitment to expanding trade and investment ties with African countries. The announcement came after US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Tanzania’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Ashatu Kijaji, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, paving the way for this new commercial partnership.
The US-Tanzania Commercial Dialogue is set to boost two-way trade and investment by concentrating on four key areas: the digital economy, market access, regulatory and business climate reform, and trade missions and trade fairs.
Ms Raimondo expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “In signing this memorandum, I am pleased to announce the launch of the US-Tanzania Commercial Dialogue. This Commercial Dialogue is a critical step in our countries’ shared commitment to increasing bilateral trade and investment opportunities and ensuring mutual prosperity for our businesses and citizens.”
This initiative follows the visit of Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago to Tanzania in February 2023. During her visit, she collaborated with key stakeholders, including the Minister of Finance and Planning and the Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, to lay the groundwork for the Commercial Dialogue. The primary objective of this partnership is to provide a platform for both business and government leaders to strengthen trade relations and foster a more conducive environment for business, thus creating opportunities for the US private sector and generating employment both in the United States and Tanzania.
In sharp contrast, on Monday, 23 October, the US Departments of State, Labor, Health and Human Services, Commerce, and the US Agency for International Development issued a joint Business Advisory for Uganda, alerting US businesses, individuals, and entities to potential risks associated with conducting or considering business operations in Uganda.
The advisory focuses on two critical concerns. First, it highlights the endemic corruption prevalent in Uganda, which the US says poses significant financial and reputational risks to businesses and organizations. Detailed information on this matter has been published in the 2023 Investment Climate Statement.
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Secondly, the advisory underscores deep US concerns about human rights violations in Uganda. These violations include violence directed at human rights activists, media personnel, health workers, members of minority groups, LGBTQI+ individuals, and political dissidents, as documented in the 2022 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Uganda. Of particular concern, to the US, is Uganda’s enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which the U.S. has said curtails freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, and raises questions about the respect for leases and employment contracts.
For the US, this advisory serves as a caution to all US businesses and individuals engaging or contemplating business activities in Uganda, urging them to carefully consider these risks in their decision-making processes.
Pearl Matibe is a Washington, DC-based White House Correspondent, and media commentator with expertise in US foreign policy and international security. You may follow her on Twitter: @PearlMatibe
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