NAIROBI,Kenya Jul 11 – Kenya has endorsed a raft of proposed trade facilitation measures aimed at lowering the cost of doing business and speeding up cross-border commerce across the Horn of Africa, as the country concluded national consultations ahead of a regional ministerial meeting in September.
The proposals, developed under the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI), are expected to form part of a regional trade facilitation roadmap that will be presented to Trade Ministers from member states during a meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where governments will consider their adoption.
At a meeting of the Kenya National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) in Nairobi, government agencies, private sector representatives and development partners validated a package of reforms designed to address long-standing bottlenecks that continue to slow regional trade.
Among the key proposals are stronger mechanisms for identifying and resolving non-tariff barriers, modernisation of border posts and the introduction of dedicated fast-track lanes for compliant traders, perishable goods and priority cargo to reduce clearance times.
The roadmap also recommends the development of a regional electronic cargo tracking system and an integrated IT-based road management platform to improve cargo visibility and coordination across borders.
Other measures include strengthening regional and bilateral trade agreements and establishing a regional payment system to facilitate faster, more secure and lower-cost cross-border transactions.
Officials say the proposals are intended to improve the efficiency of regional supply chains while supporting deeper economic integration among Horn of Africa countries, where businesses have long cited border delays, inconsistent regulations and fragmented customs procedures as major impediments to trade.
“The roadmap proposes strengthening collaboration mechanisms for the identification, reporting and resolution of non-tariff barriers, while modernising border posts and establishing dedicated fast-track lanes for compliant traders, perishable goods and priority cargo.”
“Other proposed measures include the development of a regional electronic cargo tracking system, an integrated IT-based road management system, stronger regional and bilateral trade agreements and a regional payment system to support faster, secure and more cost-effective cross-border transactions.”
The consultation marked the final stop in a series of national engagements conducted across Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Kenya to identify country-specific priorities and build consensus on practical reforms for regional trade.
Business leaders have consistently argued that reducing administrative barriers and harmonising border procedures could significantly improve the movement of goods within the region, although implementation will require sustained political commitment, investment in digital infrastructure and coordination among participating countries.
The validated recommendations from each member state will now be consolidated during a Regional Validation Workshop before being submitted to the Horn of Africa Trade Ministers for consideration and possible adoption at their meeting in Addis Ababa in September.
If approved, the measures would represent one of the region’s most coordinated efforts to streamline trade procedures, enhance logistics efficiency and strengthen economic integration across the Horn of Africa.
