Outline of the presentation
- What is CFCIB?
- Vision, Mission and objectives
- Structure
- Membership
- Partnership
- Role and responsibilities
- Potential areas for Investment
- Conclusion
What is CFCIB?
- The apex body for the private sector organizations in Burundi.
- Non-profit organization, the Chamber represents the interests of the private sector and supports the promotion of commerce in Burundi through advocacy and by building public-private-partnerships, which are critical for the creation of an enabling business environment.
What is CFCIB(cont.)?
- At its founding in 1923, the association was known as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Belgium Occupied Territories and the District of Kivu.
- In 1943, traders from Kivu and Rwanda-Urundi decided to form two separate organizations. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Rwanda-Urundi came into being.
- The association was then renamed the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burundi when Rwanda and Burundi decided to end their economic union in 1964, and adopted its current structure in April 2010
Vision, Mission and objectives
- Vision: To create a thriving business community in Burundi
- Mission: To represent and promote the interests of the Burundi Business Community, promote national and international trade and actively influence government policies to improve business environment.
- Objectives
- To promote, coordinate and protect commercial and industrial interests in Burundi
- To organize participation in trade activities
- To collect and disseminate trade information
- To promote training in principles of commerce and industry
Structure
CFCIB is the apex body of the Private Sector in Burundi. It is comprised of 13 sectoral and cross cutting chambers.
Governance
- General Assembly
- Executive committee (board)
- Secretariat
Membership
Actually, the Chamber has 13 members:
- Sectoral Chamber of Hotels and Tourism
- Sectoral Chamber of Art and Handcraft
- Sectoral Chamber of Information, Technology and Communication
- Sectoral Chamber of International Transport and Forwarding Agents
- Sectoral Chamber of Mines
- Sectoral Chamber of Services
- Sectoral Chamber of Building and Infrastructures
- Sectoral Chamber of AgriBusiness
- Sectoral Chamber of Traders
- Sectoral Chamber of Banks and Assurance Companies
- Sectoral Chamber of Manufacturers
- Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs
- Chamber of Provinces
Partnerships
The chamber maintains cordial and professional relations with similar professional organizations in the East African Community, Africa and other parts of the world.
Roles and responsibilities
- Design, propose and contribute to the promotion and implementation of a policy for private sector development;
- Make available to businesses and other private sector associations technical assistance, specialized information on consultancies, training and investment;
- Contribute to creating conditions necessary for strengthening and accessing commercial credit, the requirements of transparency, free competition, the introduction of a tax incentive legislation to economic and social development and the fight against practices that undermine the stability of business;
- Assist in linking national economic operators with partners in the sub-region and in the rest of the World;
- Conduct economic studies ;
- Promote national and international trade, including trade events such as fairs and assist Burundian firms participating in fairs and foreign exhibitions; and
- Help in setting up norms and standards
- Through various interventions, the chamber has been an effective partner in the development of an enabling and effective business environment in Burundi with various stakeholders.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
- Mining: Nickel, gold, wolframite, Rare Earth, Vanadium, coltan, etc. Burundi has 6 % of world reserves of nickel with 180 million tones estimate. Research of Uranium is underway
- Energy: Hydro & solar power plants construction
- Agro processing: Coffee, tea, cotton, palm oil, fish, raw hides, fruits and vegetables, etc.
- Manufacturing: soft drinks, carbonated waters, dark glass bottles, beer, cigarettes, sugar, soaps, etc.
- Transport: Roads construction, Maritime transport on Lake Tanganyika, Air Burundi and Makamba-Musongati-Gitega railway construction
- Health & Educational infrastructure
- Tourism (High standard 4 or 5 stars hotel with an international conference center, Supermarket, Malls)
- Financial Institutions (Banking & micro-financing)
- Information Technology & Communication
- Real Estate and Government Buildings construction
- Special Economic Zone & Wirehouse and Cooling depot at Bujumbura Airport
Collaboration with the Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR)
Formalization of the collaboration between the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burundi (CFCIB) and Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR)
- The formalization of the collaboration between the Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR) and the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burundi (CFCIB) led to the establishment of a Joint Working Committee in November 2013.
- This committee is mandated to discuss issues raised by the private sector and taxpayers and propose solutions to the tax authorities for their common welfare.
- The platform also proposes ways to encourage tax compliance and organizes regular joint sessions for taxpayer education, given the urgent need for effective taxpayer education after the adoption of new tax laws, themselves prepared jointly between the OBR and CFCIB.
- This platform has improved the business environment and encouraged businesses to be tax compliant.
Financial ressources
Chamber of Commerce receives funding from:
- Members
- Government of Burundi
Development partners ( TMEA, World Bank, AfDB etc…)
Perspectives
- The CFCIB will also focus on increasing awareness of tax and cross-border trade processes and have three new supportive policies in tax, Common External Tariffs and cross-border trade facilitation adopted and implemented. This project was implemented for 17 months and completed in May 2016.
- Funding from TradeMark East Africa has ease the formulation and the implementation of trade policies, and underlines the excellent cooperation between the chamber and the TradeMark East Africa, in general, and its Burundi Country Team, especially for trade promotion at the national, regional and international levels.
Conclusion
The CFCIB has a major role in advocating for the improvement of the business environment and promotion of Burundi as a trade hub between Central Africa, South Africa and East Africa.
