East African Business Week

 The centre, the first of its kind in Kenya is modeled to be a key source of information for Kenyans who seek to understand the whole process of the integration into the wider East African Community better.
 The centre has been launched in the wake of emerging claims of harassment of Kenyan traders by Tanzanian officials arising from a clash of a section of trade policies in the two countries.
 A section of Kenyan traders have complained of encountering difficulty in cross border trade between the two countries especially at the Namanga border post.  
 Speaking at the launch of the centre, Kenyan minister for the East African Community Professor Hellen Sambili said that the centre would ensure more widespread and equitable access to information and communication on the integration process.
 "The establishment of the RICs comes at a time when the Community is at the heart of operationalising a Common Market which was launched in July 2010 and provides for free movement of persons, labour, services and capital as well as right of establishment and residence in addition to free movement of goods covered under the Customs Union.
These developments imply increased demand for timely and accurate information at the border points," Prof Sambili said in Namanga at the launch.   
 She added: "The centre will act as an interface with local communities especially small traders on matters of integration and cross border market access as well as share information on benefits accruing to Kenya's membership to the East African Community."
 Responding to claims of harassment of Kenyan traders by Tanzania officials Prof Sambili said a consultative business forum between Kenyan and Tanzanian businessmen as well as officials would soon be convened preferably in Arusha to thrash out arising minor differences and bring all parties to a common understanding of the integration process.
 The Namanga integration centre is the first of five centres that shall be put up at selected border points to coordinate and assist in the enforcement of EAC decisions: particularly in helping enhance policy awareness on regional integration, cross border trade, custom procedures and other documentation.
 Currently trade between Kenya and Tanzania most of which passes through the Namanga border post is in the region of over Kshs 38 billion, (US$ 469 million).
 Following the opening of the centre it is expected that visitors and traders at the borders will not need to visit the head quarters for details and assistance with travel and cross border market access issues as the centres will act as reference points on the whole spectrum of the regional integration issues.
 Some of the specific tasks the RICs will undertake include facilitating cross border trade including creating awareness on the existence of a one stop shop for the lodging of all trade related documents.