Tanzania and Kenya have agreed to eliminate non-tariff barriers by the end of this month to improve their trade relations.
The agreement was reached on Monday when President William Ruto of Kenya was making an official visit to Tanzania.
Speaking during the Tanzania-Kenya Business Forum in Dar es Salaam, Ruto said Kenya and Tanzania had set an ambitious target of generating KSh130 billion in new trade and KSh65 billion in fresh cross-border investments.
The forum brought together more than 300 business leaders and private sector players from both countries with the aim to strengthen regional trade and investment.
“To achieve this ambition, we must deliberately bring down hurdles that hinder free movement of people, goods and services,” Ruto said, noting that the two countries have agreed to deepen economic ties and remove trade barriers between them.
He noted that businesses continue to face costly delays caused by non-tariff barriers such as border hold-ups, differing standards and restricted market access.
“Business and trade will grow exponentially if non-tariff barriers are eliminated, including border delays, non-harmonized standards, and restricted market access,” he added.
Ruto revealed that Kenya and Tanzania had agreed on a June 30, 2026 deadline to remove the barriers affecting trade between the two countries.
The move is expected to benefit traders, manufacturers and transport companies that rely heavily on the Kenya-Tanzania corridor for business.
Ruto said both governments were committed to creating a more predictable and business-friendly environment for investors.
“We reaffirmed our steadfast resolve to provide a stable, predictable, and enabling environment,” he stated.
The renewed partnership comes at a time when East African countries are under pressure to increase intra-regional trade and reduce dependence on external markets.
MG/as/APA