By  Luke  Anami

Non tariff barriers have been identified as a major obstacle to economic growth

The media will endeavour to highlight the Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) that bar the East African Community (EAC) from implementing both the customs union and the Common market.

Standard Group’s Director, Business Development and Innovation Francis Munywoki, said the media would play a leading role in highlighting the challenges facing EAC and the success stories of the East African Business Council (EABC).

“EABC will need to play a central role in the implementation of both the customs union and the common market while the media shall endeavour to highlight cases of Non-Tariff Barriers that hinder the full implementation of the two EAC protocols,” Munywoki said.

Munywoki made the remarks while reacting to his election to the EABC board, the apex body of private sector members in the East Africa Community region.

Elimination of trade barriers he said will help reduce the cost of doing business and attract investments to the region.

“I am, indeed, honoured to join the EABC board. I promise to put my best foot forward and work with each one of you to move the EABC agenda forward,” he said.

He added that his commitment is to serve all the stakeholders with energy, diligence and accountability as the council continues to strengthen the platform and capacity to promote the East African private sector’s regional and global competitiveness in trade and investment.

service sector

Kenya’s private sector players also want the EAC to fast-track the implementation of the service sector as provided for in the EAC common market protocol.

Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) Chief Executive Agatha Juma said the service sector is the brainchild of the EAC development agenda and should be granted first priority in the EAC integration agenda. “We want EAC partner states to create the enabling legislative and a policy framework that will allow freedom of services under a common market,” said Juma, who was also over the weekend elected to the EABC Board.

KTF, the umbrella body of all private business organisations within the industry, called for a free movement of workers and services to spur economic growth in the region.

“EAC has some of the best brains in the world. Allowing free movement of people across the borders will help the services sector prosper as people move and work with their brains,” Juma said in an interview with The Standard. She decried the poor implementation of the service freedoms as outlined in the EAC Common market that include business and professional services such as accountancy, legal, finance, communication, tourism and travel Related Services.

 “We need a single tourist visa that will also market EAC as a single tourism destination. I urge our members to avoid empty talk and promises but instead put the necessary legal framework to implement the EAC protocols,” she explained.