655. On the policy level, although Tanzania unveiled a good National Trade Policy in 2003, adequate measures were not put in place to support traders or implement targeted policies that would take advantage of available opportunities. In addition, traders and business people did not engage aggressively enough in regional trade, partly because of a lack of market information. With regard to production, some business enterprises lack confidence in the quality of their products. Equally important is the lack of commercial farming and food processing which limits adherence to quality and standards required for participating in external trade. Most smallholders produce for their own consumption and the little surplus left is sold on the domestic market. Further, the lack of processing facilities means exporting unprocessed agricultural products that have serious limitations, including low valueadded, poor quality control, and perishability because of poor storage facilities. 656. The CRM learnt that Tanzania prepared a draft EAC Common Market Implementation Strategy 2011-2015 but this is yet to be finalised. The document outlines the opportunities and challenges, identifies the roles of various institutions, sets out strategic intervention areas where actions are required, and provides recommendations for policy, planning and resource allocation. The CRM observed that adoption and implementation of this strategy will go a long way in helping Tanzania prepare adequately for full participation in the Common Market. 657. The CRM noted that there is an underlying uneasiness regarding the participation and representation of Zanzibar in the EAC. The Zanzibar government has expressed wishes to be directly represented in the organs of the EAC. 658. The CRM welcomed the fact that Tanzania’s 5-year Development Plan (2011/2012 - 2015/2016) set a number of targets, including increasing Tanzania’s world market share, from the current 0.022 per cent to 0.1 per cent by 2015/16; market share in the EAC from the current 28 per cent to 40 per cent by 2015/16; market share in SADC from the current 5 per cent to 10 per cent by 2015/16; contribution of trade to GDP from the present 16 per cent to 20 per cent by 2015/16; establishing trade and marketing information systems; renewing and enforcing the related legal framework. 659. In order to achieve the above trade-related targets, the Plan prioritises the removal of a number of crucial constraints to accelerated economic growth and development in Tanzania. These include the lack of a reliable and adequate supply of electricity; poor infrastructure quality, especially for the transport network and, in particular rural feeder roads, railways and sea ports; inadequate supply of skilled labor; limited access to secure land rights; limited domestic value added to primary products; and a lack of access to finance, especially for SMEs and in the agriculture sector. 660. The Plan puts considerable emphasis on trade and notes that increasing benefits to Tanzania from participation in regional and global trade depends on the country’s ability to increase its production capacity; to increase product competitiveness (in terms of the cost of production and quality of products); to have accessible markets; to facilitate producers’ access to market information; and to have an efficient financial service infrastructure to facilitate payments and settlements. These conditions are addressed throughout the Plan, which aims at promoting the country’s productive capacity and leveraging the geographical location to enhance competitiveness. The CRM confirmed that trade issues identified in the Plan are indeed critical and are being vigorously pursued to ensure that Tanzania benefits from trading arrangements. 661. A major observation of the CRM during the consultations is that the general public lack a proper awareness of integration matters, including the potential benefits. An appropriate communication policy and strategy was adopted at the level of the EAC but this is yet to be fully implemented in Tanzania. Efforts are also underway to develop a national communication strategy to fill the information gap. It was observed that EAC integration matters are under the purview of the Ministry of East African Cooperation while SADC matters are handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. This poses the challenge of effective coordination and alignment of integration matters. Bringing the two portfolios under a single ministry will improve coordination and create synergy. 662. The CRM took note of the outcome of the Tripartite Summit of Heads of State and Government of EAC, SADC and COMESA held in Kampala, Uganda in 2008. They provided guidance on advancing cooperation and coordination of programmes under the Tripartite arrangement. The Tripartite Summit agreed on the following key areas of 136