This archive report was first published on 4 May 2021.
On May 4, 2021, Kenya and Tanzania made a significant step towards strengthening their bilateral relations by agreeing to ease trade and border barriers.
During a two-day State Visit to Kenya, President Samia Suluhu Hassan and President Uhuru Kenyatta held bilateral talks at State House, Nairobi, where they discussed various issues affecting trade and cooperation between the two nations.
One of the key agreements reached was the establishment of a joint team of experts to address the disjointed enforcement of cross-border Covid-19 containment protocols, a major non-tariff trade barrier between the two countries.
“We have agreed that our Health Ministers need to sit down and come up with a structured system of testing our people at the border points to allow easy movement of our people so as to do their businesses,” President Samia Suluhu told the media at State House, Nairobi.
The two leaders also noted the need for mutual recognition of COVID-19 test results, which has been a major hindrance to the free flow of goods and people.
President Kenyatta congratulated President Suluhu for assuming the leadership of her country’s ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and assured her of Kenya’s unwavering support.
He emphasized the importance of Kenya and Tanzania’s relations, citing their geographical proximity, shared culture, language, heritage, and ancestry.
“Your visit has given us the opportunity to renew our relations and we want to assure you that the Republic of Kenya and my Government will be in the forefront working together with you and your Administration to ensure our unity especially as East African nations and neighbours, will continue to grow and be strengthened for the benefit of our people,” President Kenyatta said.
The two countries also agreed to re-energize their Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) to deal with issues affecting trade, including the importation of natural gas from Tanzania to Kenya, and cultural exchanges.
President Kenyatta also spoke about shared infrastructure, stating that Kenya and Tanzania had agreed to improve their connectivity through new roads, aviation, and maritime transport to hasten economic growth.
“We will strengthen aviation, railway, sea and lake transport as well as roads. We also discussed the need to hasten the construction of the Malindi-Lungalunga-Bagamoyo Road to ease movement of goods and people,” he said.
