Kibaki commends EAC ministers on Non-Tariff Barriers’ progress

President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and the current Chair of the EAC Heads of State Summit, over the weekend, commended Partner State Ministers of EAC Affairs for identifying non-tariff barriers (NTBs) that are impacting intra-regional trade, investment and free movement of people that need to be eliminated within the shortest time possible.The President made the remarks during his meeting with the regional Ministers led by the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Musa Sirma at his Haraambe House Office in Nairobi.“I am gratified to note that you have identified the non-tariff barriers within the Community that need to be eliminated and the next step is for you to spearhead and fast track their removal,” he said, according to a statement from the secretariat.“The Summit, of which I am now the Chair, attaches great importance to the promotion and sustenance of a vibrant regional market that is free from any impediments that may obstruct the free movement of goods and people among the Partner States,” said the President.President Kibaki urged the Ministers not to hold back as he sees no reason for doing so saying “it will be meaningful for the East Africans as a region if we remove these NTBs”.The Chairperson of the Summit urged the Ministers of EAC Affairs to bring to the attention of all stakeholders the decisions that have been taken in regard to the removal of the NTBs. “Each one of you has a duty to inform and follow up with the others (stakeholders) what has been agreed upon,” he said, adding, “It is yourselves to sustain this region and we should not look for other people to sort ourselves out”.Kibaki further urged the Ministers to keep him as well as other Heads of State, posted and engaged on any challenges that they may encounter while implementing the decisions taken on the removal of the NTBs in the regional bloc.Earlier, the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, Hon. Musa Sirma, briefed the Head of State on some of the decisions taken at the dedicated Ministerial meeting held on March 14, 2012 in Mombasa, Kenya. Among the key decisions taken at the dedicated session were; transit vehicles will be weighed twice from the Port of entry and Port of exit for Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi while the United Republic of Tanzania awaits a study on the establishment of the weighbridges.Partner States also agreed to identify borders and ports that would be put on 24hr operation and report to the EAC Secretariat within two weeks. The Ministers, at their dedicated session, also agreed on the mutual recognition of standards of each Partner States testing authorities/agencies. They also agreed to recognise certificates of Rules of Origin by the other Partner States.It was also agreed that Container Freight Services (CFS) companies will now charge the same rates for services as the Ports Authorities do in the respective countries (Kenya and Tanzania).Trucks entering Tanzania will no longer be charged US$200. Visa charges on businessmen will also be eliminated.The roadblocks in the Northern and Central Corridors will reduce from 36 to 5 in Kenya, from 30 to 15 in Tanzania, while Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi will completely abolish the roadblocks. Furthermore, Partner States agreed to remove roadblocks and replace them with electronic cargo tracking systems and police patrols by December 2012. The Secretary General of the East African Community, Dr Richard Sezibera, informed the President that the Ministerial session on Non-Tariff Barriers in Mombasa was a key milestone in scaling up the elimination campaign on trade restrictive measures. He informed the President that the Council will be reporting regularly to the Summit progress on elimination of NTBs.