Kenya, Tanzania ink deal to ease trade in foodstuffs

KNRA Director General James Keter says a joint Technical Working Group will develop an agreement on radiation safety standards. [File, Standard]

Kenya and Tanzania are working to reduce trade barriers and ease the movement of goods while maintaining radiation safety standards.

The Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) and the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC) have formed a joint Technical Working Group to develop an agreement that will allow both countries to recognise each other’s radioanalysis certificates for food products.

The agreement seeks to align conformity assessment procedures and simplify the movement of regulated goods between the two countries. The initiative will improve trade efficiency by addressing regulatory bottlenecks that delay the clearance of goods at border points.

KNRA Director General James Keter and his Tanzanian counterpart Prof Najat Kassim Mohammed, said the working group has three months to complete its assignment. “There has been hue and cry over trade barriers, which we are determined to help eliminate through this joint approach,” Keter said.

He said the initiative would culminate in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two agencies to strengthen cooperation in facilitating cross-border trade. The proposed agreement comes as East African countries expand the peaceful application of nuclear technology in healthcare, agriculture and industrial manufacturing.

Prof Mohammed said Kenya and Tanzania stood to benefit immensely from the interventions driven jointly by two regulatory agencies. “This is just the beginning,” she said at the end of a weeklong engagement between officials from the two countries.

Cross-border trade involving foodstuffs and other goods that require radiation screening or certification is also growing. The agreement is intended to facilitate legitimate trade without compromising public health, environment and consumers from potential radiation hazards.

Radioanalysis helps determine the presence and levels of radioactive substances in materials, including foodstuffs.