EAC leaders urged to eliminate toxic trade barriers

By Seth Emmanuel

The East African Business Council Chief Executive John Bosco Kalisa has urged the EAC to eliminate Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), finalize the Common External Tariff review and spearhead regional vaccination drives to fast track economic resilience and rebound.

Speaking during the CEO Round Table Engagement on EAC Regional Integration organized by the East African Business Council in partnership with the Federation of German Industries and sponsorship of KCB Bank Tanzania, Mr. Kalisa said that Kenya’s imports from Tanzania grew by nearly 75% in the six months to June 2021 compared to 2020 after its exports to Kenya hit a high of USD. 167 million. He commended the EAC Secretariat for establishing a hotline to report NTBs at the borders.

Deeper commitment in the EAC regional agenda is now more important than ever, to enable East Africa businesses to tap into the Common Market and new markets of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Chief Guest, Hon. Dr. Peter Mathuki, Secretary-General of the EAC, urged the private sector to be at the center and forefront in steering intra-EAC trade from the current 15% to 50% by 2025.