Kenyan President William Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni have jointly criticized the continued existence of non-tariff barriers within the East African Community (EAC), calling them a major setback to economic integration and regional trade. The two leaders met in Nairobi during Museveni’s state visit, where they emphasized the urgent need to eliminate practices that restrict the free movement of goods and services, according to The EastAfrican.
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The leaders directed their respective trade and transport ministries to fast-track the removal of these obstacles, which include informal levies, repeated customs checks, and administrative bottlenecks. These measures, they said, continue to hinder cross-border commerce despite EAC’s longstanding commitment to a single market framework. According to Citizen Digital, the leaders reaffirmed that deeper integration is essential to accelerate regional industrial growth and reduce the cost of doing business.
During the visit, Kenya and Uganda signed eight bilateral agreements across key sectors, including agriculture, transport, tourism, fisheries, and investment promotion. Among the notable commitments was the renewed cooperation on the expansion of the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Uganda’s border, which is expected to boost freight efficiency across the Northern Corridor, according to The Star.
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Both countries have had repeated trade tensions in recent years, particularly around agricultural goods such as sugar, maize, and poultry. Analysts note that unresolved disputes have disrupted trade flows and exposed the fragility of EAC mechanisms meant to address them. According to The EastAfrican, private sector players have welcomed the renewed diplomatic focus, but remain cautious about implementation timelines.
If fully enacted, the measures proposed by Ruto and Museveni could unlock substantial intra-EAC trade gains. Economists argue that removing these barriers would reduce logistics costs, improve supply chain predictability, and enhance the competitiveness of locally produced goods, positioning the region more effectively for global trade partnerships.
