The US lacks a comparable reciprocal trade deal with the EAC, the Chamber says, noting that several East African leaders have called for Washington to negotiate its own economic partnership pact with the regional bloc. These impediments include costly import licensing requirements and “uneven observation” of some World Trade Organisation (WTO) guidelines, the report says. “One of the main problems facing East African countries is that regulations that the national governments enact aren’t always being implemented on the ground,” the US Chamber finds. “While East African heads of state may agree to anti-NTB legislation, these new principles don’t trickle down to local officials or customs enforcement authorities,” it adds. Inadequate road and port infrastructure also continues to be a significant barrier to trade in East Africa, the report notes.

Source: Daily Nation October 19, 2016 10:41 UTC