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First Commercial train arrives in Gulu

RVR rebuilds and reopens railway line to northern Uganda

• Track reopened after 20 years will enable easier access to South Sudan and eastern DRC

Gulu, 14^th September 2013: Regional rail operator Rift Valley Railways (RVR) is set to change the transport and logistics landscape within East Africa after rebuilding and reopening the Tororo-Gulu-Pakwach railway line to northern Uganda.

The 500km railway track which was last in operation in 1993 is now open for business following recently completed repairs on the track, bridges and culverts that had been destroyed following two decades of disuse.

The rehabilitation was fully funded by RVR at a cost of $2 million to facilitate freight cargo access by rail to northern Uganda and allow much easier transhipment by road to Juba in South Sudan and Eastern DRC.  

The first train carrying steel imports for Juba from the port of Mombasa was received in Gulu today (September 14^th). Spedag Interfreight, a leading pan-African logistics company, will transship the goods by road to Juba.

RVR’s external affairs director, Cosma Gatere said: “This new service will play a vital role in promoting regional integration and trade by accessing areas hitherto closed to rail transportation. Working with logistics partners and our own logistics subsidiary, East Africa Rail and Handling, we will provide end-to-end transport and delivery solutions for customers in this important part of East Africa”.

Spedag Interfreight Managing Director Heinz Mueller applauded RVR for the move saying that by re-opening the northern line, the company had made a big step forward in boosting growth of businesses in and near northern Uganda.

“We are excited by the logistical options the opening of the line presents through combinations of rail and last-mile road delivery both for imports and exports” he Mr. Mueller said. “We will now be able to provide more efficient cargo transport to customers along routes in northern Uganda, eastern DRC and South Sudan, and avoid long trips by roads”.

RVR will be expanding its presence in Gulu with a view to making the town a logistical hub for its operations in northern Uganda and the surrounding regions.  

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British Airways is set to add an additional frequency to Uganda to offer four weekly flights effective from 30 March 2014.

The new Uganda schedule will see flights depart Terminal 5 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 12:20 and arrive in Entebbe at 22:50 the same day. The return flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays will depart Entebbe at 01:00 and arrive at Terminal 5 at 07:50, which will give customers a full day in London or plenty of time to make connections to other flights.

The schedule will be amended to offer better connections to other international services through Terminal 5.

The airline meanwhile is growing its African frequencies, improving connectivity through London Heathrow and introducing its latest products.

In West Africa it will increase its daily services to Ghana by three a week from 27 October using Boeing 767s to complement the existing Boeing 777 flights, bringing the total number of weekly services up to 10. From Summer 2014, a larger four-cabin Boeing 747 aircraft will replace one of the current Boeing 777s currently on the route.  It will also add a fourth weekly service to Sierra Leone and Liberia.

North African services have been bolstered by a fourth weekly flight to Tripoli.

South African customers are already able to make bookings for the A380, the airline’s largest and most modern aircraft, which begins flying to Johannesburg on 12 February.

This is only the third A380 route to be announced after Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

Services to Cape Town will double from the current daily service to a double-daily operation over the busy South African summer season. British Airways is the only airline which flies directly from Cape Town to London year round.

It is also investing in its lounges and by the end of the year the Cape Town and Johannesburg facilities will be upgraded to reflect the customer experience at in the Terraces lounges in the award-winning Terminal 5.

“We continue to consider the continent as an important growth market and the acquisition of bmi, our fleet renewal programme and Terminal 5 have enabled us to grow frequencies, introduce new products and provide more convenient connections for our African customers,” says Ian Petrie, Regional Manager Africa.

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In photo “URA Board member Theodora T. Mondo presents an Authorised Economic Operator AEO Certificate to Ms. Sarah Mulwana Executive director of Nice House of Plastics. Looking on First Left  is Allen Asiimwe the Country Director TradeMark East Africathe project funders and Allen Kagina the commissioner General Uganda Revenue Authority. AEO certified companies are permitted to self-manage key customs processes internally. Ten companies were given the certification.”

Uganda revenue Authority (URA) have signed MOU’s and awarded certificates of recognition to ten companies in Uganda who have been given special customs status as Authorized Economic Operators AEO.

Speaking at the recognition ceremony, Commissioner General of the URA, Allen Kagina commended the companies that had attained the special status.  ‘’They have consistently demonstrated a very high commitment to comply with customs regulations and security procedures’’. She said. “An AEO certified company for example is not subject to physical inspections, queuing or immediate audits”.

The 10 companies that have achieved this status were chosen from a list of 41 companies that had initially expressed interest. These are Spedag Interfreight, DHL, Nice House of Plastics, Unifreight Cargo Ltd and, BAT Uganda Limited. Others are Roofings (U) Limited, Ballore Logistics, Steel and Tube Industries Ltd, Jesa Farm Diary, Uganda Batteries Ltd and Toyota Uganda. An AEO in Uganda is an individual, a business entity or government department that is involved in international trade and is duly authorized by the Commissioner of Customs of the Uganda Revenue Authority to self-manage key aspects of its customs processes previously handled by URA. The objectives being to enhance trade facilitation, promote customs to business partnership, ensure security for the international trade supply chain, encourage voluntary compliance to customs laws and procedures.

The AEO project is an initiative of the URA supported by TradeMark East Africa that seeks to enhance trade by reducing the cost of doing business through simplifying customs procedures and reducing clearance time. ‘’This recognition will also enhance the image and trust of the businesses that have it, as it provides for mutual recognition with the other revenue authorities in the region. We will know we have achieved our objective when the savings businesses are enjoying, trickle down to a reduction in prices of goods for the common Mwananchi” Kagina concluded.

Narrating their experiences about using the new system for their clients, Spedag Interfreight one of the companies who participated in the pilot project reported that they were able to register significant improvements in efficiencies which resulted in monetary savings for their clients and Increased truck turnaround from 2.5 trips per month to 5 trips a month resulting in better evacuation of containers and better revenue earnings. “The AEO programme is a fantastic initiative which is improving our business tremendously. Mr. Bharat, Managing Director Spedag said. “We commend URA and its partner in this initiative , Trademark East Africa  for introducing it here in Uganda and we look forward to additional benefits it will provide us in the region as companies that receive AEO certification in Uganda will enjoy the same recognition and benefits seamlessly in the other East African countries’’. He added.

Speaking after the ceremony, Allen Asiimwe, TradeMark EA Country director thanked all the companies for taking part in the project’. ‘’This is an important first step towards full implementation of the AEO programme in Uganda a development which we are sure will have very positive knock on effects on the companies involved and the Ugandan and regional economy” She said.

The Commissioner General thanked TradeMark EA for its support. “This is the latest in a series of initiatives we have successfully rolled out supported by TMEA others include ASYCUDA World which we launched at the beginning of the week. She said.

URA plans to bring another 10 companies onto the AEO programme in the next phase of the project.

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Representatives from companies with Authorised Economic Operator status (AEO) pose with certificates of recognition awarded to them at the AEO MOU handover breakfast organized by the URA and the projects funders Trade Mark East Africaon the 5^th Sep 2013. AEO certified companies are permitted to self-manage key customs processes internally. Standing, (front left) Mr. Henry Saka the Commissioner for Domestic Taxes URA, (2^nd Left), Allen Asiimwe TradeMark Uganda Country Director; (4^th Left) Theodora T. Mondo Board member URA and the Commissioner General URA Allen Kagina 3^rd Front right.

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Amr El-Garhy will ensure core platform and portfolio companies have access to the finance they need to grow and execute on their business plans

Citadel Capital (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Exchange), the leading investment company in Africa and the Middle East with US$ 9.5 billion in investments under control, has engaged the distinguished banker Amr El-Garhy as Managing Director and Head of Corporate Finance and Investment Review Function. 

El-Garhy joins the firm from the National Investment Bank, where he was serving as Vice-Chairman and Managing Director. At Citadel Capital, he will be charged with ensuring platform and portfolio companies have access to the finance they need to grow efficiently, while monitoring the effective and successful execution of their business plans.

“Amr’s appointment comes as part of our transformation from Africa’s largest private equity firm into the continent’s leading investment company,” noted Citadel Capital Chairman and Founder Ahmed Heikal. “In his new role, he will help ensure Citadel Capital and our platform companies in five core industries, including energy, agrifoods, transportation, mining and cement, have the liquidity they need to deliver on their business plans. Citadel Capital also plans to exit non-core investments over the coming few years.”

I am particularly delighted to have Amr on board with us, having previously worked with him during my time with EFG Hermes, where I was impressed with both his efficiency and leadership skills,” adds Heikal.

El-Garhy joined the National Investment Bank in 2004 and led the institution through significant business restructuring, significantly growing its equity portfolio and leading a number of high-profile transactions and advisory processes of national importance.

He was earlier Deputy CEO of El-Ahli Bank of Qatar, a Managing Director at regional investment bank EFG Hermes, Managing Director for Investment Banking at Fleming-CIIC, Executive Director of the Commercial International Investment Company (CIIC) and a Senior Credit Manager at Commercial International Bank (CIB). El-Garhy has a distinguished track record of service on public and private boards including the Bank of Alexandria, the Egyptian National Railway Authority, the Arab Contractors Co., Suez Cement, the Export Development Bank of Egypt, and Abu Qir Fertilizers Co., among others. 

Citadel Capital (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Stock Exchange) is the leading investment company in Africa and Middle East. Citadel Capital controls investments of US$ 9.5 billion and focuses on 5 core industries: Energy, Transportation, Agrifoods, Mining, and Cement.