President’s visit to Regional Countries What It Means to Kenya
Kenya’s President William Ruto’s visit to regional countries which include Ethiopia, Uganda, and Tanzania is expected to foster Kenya’s economy as he gave a glimpse of his foreign policy agenda which places Kenya at the epicenter of regional peace, security, trade, and diplomatic projects.
The head of state made a visit to Tanzania, a move seen as a step to boost relations after he made decisions on Genetically Modified Crops (GMO) that Tanzania may not largely agree with.
President Ruto tries to find balance, economic stability, and trade among the foreign policy priorities for the administration who called for opening up borders within East African Community (EAC) to deepen region trade integration and ease trade restrictions.
“In one year, exports from Kenya to Tanzania grew from Ksh.31 billion to ksh.45billion while trade from Tanzania to Kenya grew from ksh.37billion to ksh.50 billion.
We want to ask our officials, the ministers who are here, and other technocrats, about the remaining 14 or so barriers by December this year, we should have completed that process, so that we allow our people to trade in a better environment and we can reap the benefits of trade across our borders between our business people, our entrepreneurs, and our investors,” said president Ruto.
The president’s visit to Tanzania was his fifth foreign visit since his inauguration on 13th September.
Three days ago the president was in Uganda for Uganda’s Independence Day celebration, where he stressed the need to eliminate restrictions inhibiting free trade and the movement of citizens across the border to Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni.
He pointed out the need for strengthening existing bilateral and trade relations, crafting new ones, and paying a key role among the community of nations.
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