This archive report was first published on 4 May 2021.
Kenya and Tanzania have taken a significant step towards strengthening their economic ties by agreeing to eliminate barriers hindering the smooth flow of trade and people between the two East African nations.
On May 4, 2021, during bilateral talks led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and visiting Tanzania Head of State Samia Suluhu Hassan at State House, Nairobi, the two leaders made a commitment to address the disjointed enforcement of cross-border Covid-19 containment protocols, one of the most pronounced non-tariff trade barriers between the two nations.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan emphasized the need for a structured system of testing at border points to allow easy movement of people and facilitate business activities. She noted that the lack of harmonized protocols has hampered the free flow of goods and people.
President Uhuru Kenyatta congratulated President Suluhu on assuming the leadership of her country's ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), and assured her of Kenya's unwavering support. He highlighted the strong cultural, linguistic, and historical ties between the two nations, emphasizing the need for unity and cooperation.
The two leaders agreed to re-energize the Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) to address issues affecting trade and investment. They also discussed the need to improve connectivity through new roads, aviation, and maritime transport to hasten economic growth.
President Kenyatta announced plans to strengthen aviation, railway, sea, and lake transport, as well as roads, and to hasten the construction of the Malindi-Lungalunga-Bagamoyo Road to ease movement of goods and people.
The two nations also agreed to build a gas pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa, which will lower energy costs in Kenya and help industries access environmentally friendly energy.
