KENYA: 10 More Tanzania Trade Barriers Resolved

East African Community (EAC) member states Kenya and Tanzania have addressed 10 more obstructions to bilateral trade at a series of ministerial meetings on 9-12 March 2022. The issues raised by Tanzania were goods clearance delays due to Kenya’s lengthy customs scanning; import permit delays for dairy goods; Kenya Revenue Authority’s time-consuming procedures; the obstacles to Tanzanian professionals obtaining jobs in Kenya; Kenya’s Covid-19 vaccination certificate for Tanzanian air travellers; and Taifa Gas’ difficulties investing in Kenya. 

Issues from the Kenyan side resolved were Tanzania’s delayed codesharing response; movement restrictions on Kenyan engineers going to Tanzania; refusal of the bid by Kenya’s Jambojet to operate passenger air services to Tanzania; and Kenyan tour vans paying KES5,000 (US$44) when dropping tourists on the Tanzanian side of the Namanga Border Post. The session also agreed to resolve another 14 non-tariff barriers by June 2022.