Kenya and Tanzania agree to lift trade restrictions

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli greets Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta during his official visit to Kenya in October 2016. (Thomas Mukoya, Reuters)

Kenya has lifted restrictions on wheat flour and cooking gas imports from Tanzania, which has in turn allowed milk and cigarettes from Kenya, local media, the Daily nation reports.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, announced the decision in Nairobi yesterday following discussions between President John Magufuli and his Kenyan counterpart, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.

“The Republic of Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania will lift any other restrictions that affect products and services exchanged between the two countries,” they said in a statement read by Tanzania Foreign Affairs minister Augustine Mahiga, who is also in charge of the East African Community Affairs docket, the report said.

The two East African nations have also agreed to lift “any other restrictions that affect products and services exchanged between them.

The two countries in what seemed like a tit for tan banned each other’s exports straining diplomatic and trade relations.

Kenya had issued a ban on the importation of cooking gas from Tanzania and importation of wheat.