Arusha: President Samia Suluhu Hassan has called on East African Community (EAC) leaders to expedite the removal of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to enhance the prospects and wealth of the regional economic community.
Dr. Samia said this was the only way to improve people's incomes and ultimately promote the envisaged integration, noting that non-tariff barriers were hampering regional growth.
The President equally supported unity among the East African Community partner countries, even as the bloc welcomed the Federal Republic of Somalia as its newest member.
"We have many things that unite us rather than divide us, let us not allow ourselves to be distracted by trivial issues," the president said while addressing the 23rd East African Community Heads of State Summit at Ngurdoto Villa on the outskirts of the city. Split." .
Dr Samia said the envisaged integration should benefit the people of East Africa, urging other leaders to unite.
At present, intra-regional trade accounts for 27%, which is far lower than the EU level of 70%.
Likewise, the Tanzanian president thanked outgoing Burundian East African Community Chairman Evariste Ndayishimiye for handling and running the business of the regional economic community during his one-year tenure.
The East African Community Secretary-General, Dr Peter Matuki, while reading out the Heads of State communiqué, challenged countries that have yet to complete the collection of views on political alliances to expedite the process by June 14 next year.
Countries that have not yet done so include Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Uganda.
Meanwhile, Somalia's admission to the East African Community brings the regional economic bloc's total membership to eight.
This comes a year after the Democratic Republic of the Congo joined the European Union.
