THEME: PROMOTING TRADE, TOURISM AND INVESTMENT BETWEEN KENYA AND TANZANIA WITHIN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY CUSTOMS UNION FRAMEWORK.
On the 5th May, 2021 Kenya hosted a high-level business forum during the official Presidential Visit of H. E President Samia Suluhu of the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) at Serena Hotel. The event was both physical and virtual in adherence to the covid 19 protocols.
The Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and enterprise development was the key organizer of the event working with various partners;
• Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry. (KNCCI)
• Kenya Export Promotion & Branding Agency.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Kenya Association of Manufacturers.
• Kenya Private Sector Alliance
Background of the visit.
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan arrived in Kenya on Tuesday 4th May,2021, beginning a two-day State visit to Kenya on the invitation of President Uhuru Kenyatta as the two countries seek to mend and restore bilateral ties damaged under the presidency of John Pombe Magufuli.
She was received by Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo and Sports CS Amina Mohammed after which her entourage headed to State House, Nairobi for the formal start of her tour. While in Kenya, President Hassan and her host President Kenyatta will hold bilateral talks focusing on among others trade, integration and economic opportunities within the two countries.
Tanzania’s bilateral relations with Kenya have been strained in recent years as Dar es Salaam and Nairobi clashed on multiple fronts including trade. President Hassan’s visit — her second official visit after Uganda since she took office — comes at a time Kenya and Tanzania have in the last four years had bruising fights over work visa, taxes and market access rights for items such as sugar, milk and dairy products.
Deliverables between the two countries.
• Kenya and Tanzania have agreed to improve ties in trade, infrastructure, transport, tourism, culture and security by instructing senior government officials from the two countries to constantly engage each other to strengthen the ties.
• There are 30 Tanzanian companies which have invested Sh19 billion in Kenya employing some 2,600 people. Tanzania will invest more in Kenya to increase the volume of trade.
• The two leaders announced that they had signed a deal to build a pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa to address energy needs of the two countries.
• Testing and clearance at the borders will be fast so as not to hinder trade.
• President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Suluhu have agreed to speed work on the Bagamoyo-Horohoro-Lunga-Lunga-Malindi road project.The project aims to stimulate regional integration by reducing travel time, facilitating trade and the movement of people across borders.
• President Kenyatta gave a directive, giving the involved CSs two weeks to fulfil them. He asked Transport CS James Macharia and Health CS Mutahi Kagwe to ensure traffic snarl-ups at the Kenya-Tanzania border at Namanga are cleared in compliance with Covid-19 safety protocols. Agriculture CS Peter Munya was ordered to ensure that the maize imports lying idle at the border are processed and allowed into the county over the next two weeks.
KNCCI deliverables.
• The establishment of a joint business council that will promote Kenya and Tanzania bilateral business relations. We call for support from both governments. The Joint Business Council will act towards promoting investment promotion by organizing B2B networking meetings, policy forums, and investment focused events.
• Construction of economic projects in both countries by identifying the most favorable financing channels and providing information to business persons interested in such projects.
• The private investors from Tanzania are encouraged to visit Kenya and invest through public-private partnership initiatives that the government of Kenya offers.
• Kenya and Tanzania chambers have organized a trade and investment expo scheduled to take place from August 30th to 5th September, 2021, in Dar Es Salaam.
• Both governments to provide support and nurture partnerships to achieve our goals.