The future of Kenya’s trade with the European Union looks bleak, with the country staring at Brexit uncertainties and unwillingness by East Africa Community members’ to ratify the Economic Partnership Agreement. Kenya’s imports from the EU bloc continued to decline for the second consecutive year, dropping to Sh206.5 billion last year. The value of imports from the two leading source countries— Germany and UK— jointly declined by five per cent to Sh73 billion in 2017. Kenya is also wooing UK to maintain the current trade arrangements under EU which are free from non-tariff barriers. Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi are on UN’s list of Least Developed Countries (LDC) hence their traders are guaranteed duty and quota-free access to the EU market.

Source: The Star April 30, 2018 20:48 UTC