Ruto pledge to build strong trade foundation between Kenya and Tanzania

President William Ruto has affirmed his commitment to build a strong trade foundation between Kenya and Tanzania to promote strong bilateral ties between the two countries.

He stated that an increase in trade will benefit everybody and affirmed that his administration will seek to double the figures in the coming months.

“We want to increase trade between our two countries from Sh90 billion. We want to double that trade, and it is doable,” he said.

He said that trade between the two regions had grown phenomenally since Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu’s administration.

“Trade of goods from Tanzania grew from Sh27 billion to Sh50 billion. When you and President Kenyatta worked on barriers to trade, most people thought it would benefit Kenya, but it has benefited Tanzania more,” he said

He asked officials to conclude the process of eliminating the remaining fourteen barriers that are a hindrance to trade between the two countries.

“The remaining fourteen or so barriers identified we should by December this year have concluded so as to allow our people to trade so that we can allow our people and investors to benefit,” he said.

He stated that as soon as the nominated cabinet secretaries were vetted by the legislature, their first assignment would be to work with their Tanzanian counterparts to eliminate the remaining barriers.

The two presidents agreed that they would hasten the construction of the gas pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa.

“We will now expedite the gas pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa and eventually to Nairobi so that we can use the resources we have in our region to lower energy tariffs both for industrial, commercial and domestic purposes in Kenya,” he said.

Suluhu pledged that the two countries would foster unity and enforce policies that enhance cooperation.