Kenya and Tanzania have signed eight new agreements aimed at renewing their pledge to cultivate closer ties as they seek to accelerate economic growth and deepen regional integration.
The two nations also set a June 30, 2026 deadline to eliminate all remaining non-tariff barriers that have long frustrated cross-border commerce.
President William Ruto, who is on a two-day State Visit, held talks with President Samia Suluhu Hassan at State House, Dar es Salaam on Monday before witnessing the signing of the eight Memoranda of Understanding.
The pacts mark a substantive expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two East African countries, touching sectors that directly affect traders, manufacturers, and millions of households.
The MoUs cover energy, legal cooperation, agriculture, railway development, public service capacity building, maritime cooperation, certification standards for seafarers, and harmonisation of standards between the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and Shirika la Viwango Tanzania.
The two leaders said the standards harmonisation deal is critical as it creates a joint technical committee to align testing and certification, meaning a product cleared in Dar will no longer face repeat inspection by KEBS at Namanga or Holili.
The railway MoU commits both governments to revive the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta line, linking it to the Standard Gauge Railway and cutting freight time to Moshi and Arusha. The energy agreement advances the Isinya-Singida transmission line and sets up a working group on joint renewable projects.
President Ruto said the two countries will continue to actively engage noting that the two nations are bound by destiny.
“This visit reflects the deep-rooted and enduring friendship that binds our two nations, a relationship enriched by vibrant people-to-people connections, shared heritage, and a common destiny.”
President Ruto described the relationship as one that transcends politics and goes back to the vision of the founding fathers, who championed Pan-Africanism and saw regional integration as a vehicle for transformation.
“Our enduring cordial relations continue to flourish, anchored on mutual respect, shared rich history and vibrant trade,” he said.
“Kenya attaches top strategic importance to this unbreakable bond which continues to deliver substantial benefits to our people.”
Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $860.3 million in 2025, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all intra-East African Community commerce. That makes Kenya-Tanzania the bloc’s strongest trading pair. Yet both leaders were clear that the ceiling remains far higher.
“As vibrant as our trade is, we need to work towards strengthening our ties further,” President Ruto said, adding that the countries must find a way to ensure resources are added value to create jobs and generate wealth for Kenyans and Tanzanians.
The two leaders set a deadline for removing non-tariff barriers to be 30th June, 2026, as directed by the 25th East African Community Summit. The barriers have hit dairy, maize, eggs, steel, and confectionery shipments for years, with trucks often detained at border points over paperwork, standards, or ad hoc levies.
President Samia said the two countries can significantly increase trade and investments by ironing out issues that inhibit the movement of goods. She said Tanzania would move to digitise customs and establish a 30-day dispute resolution window under the new Kenya-Tanzania Business Council.
The leaders said the Joint Commission for Cooperation, which has held four sessions since 2009, will convene for a fifth session later this year to track progress on trade, agriculture, and education. The commission has become the main technical vehicle for implementing Heads of State directives, and will now receive quarterly reports on NTB removal and MoU implementation.
On infrastructure, the two Heads of State commended progress on the Malindi–Bagamoyo Super Highway and said it will significantly enhance regional connectivity, facilitate trade, and strengthen ties. The highway, once complete, will create a coastal corridor from Mombasa to Dar es Salaam, easing pressure on the northern route. The revived Voi–Mwatate–Taveta railway line is projected to cut transport costs by up to 25 percent for bulk cargo moving between Kenya’s coast and northern Tanzania.
Energy cooperation was pointed out as critical for catalyzing industrialisation in the region. Beyond the Isinya–Singida line, the MoU opens talks on joint geothermal development and power purchase agreements that would let industries in either country tap cheaper off-peak electricity across the border. In agriculture, the two sides agreed on mutual recognition of sanitary and phytosanitary certificates, which should speed up clearance of milk, meat, and fresh produce.
The deal on tourism was highlighted as key in enhancing job creation and people-to-people ties. The two leaders agreed to accelerate efforts to market the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem jointly and to harmonise park fees and visa rules for third-country tourists. Kenya’s Tourism Cabinet Secretary and Tanzania’s Natural Resources Minister were tasked with presenting a single-destination framework.
On boundary reaffirmation, President Ruto said 564km of the 778km Kenya-Tanzania border is complete, with both sides pledging to finalise the rest before the African Union’s 2027 deadline. The leaders also reviewed regional security, vowing to keep shared borders as “zones of peace, stability, and opportunity.” They directed security agencies to scale up joint patrols and intelligence sharing to curb smuggling, human trafficking, and cross-border crime.
As EAC founders, Kenya and Tanzania reaffirmed their “unwavering commitment to advancing regional integration” to position the region as a competitive hub for production and investment.
With global supply chains shifting, President Ruto said, East Africa must “speak with one voice” on trade and infrastructure to attract manufacturing. President Samia added that Tanzania and Kenya will jointly lobby for infrastructure financing and for fairer terms in global climate and trade negotiations.
