Details of high level meeting attended by Kenyan officials in Tanzania
Kenyan officials, including cabinet secretaries, attended a key meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, on Friday, May 30, 2025.
The Kenyan delegation was led by Cabinet Secretary for EAC Affairs, ASALs, and Regional Development, Beatrice Askul, and her Trade counterpart, CS Lee Kinyanjui.
Caroline Karugu, Principal Secretary for EAC Affairs, and Trade PS Regina Ombam were also present in Arusha, Tanzania.
Details of the meeting
In a statement shared by Trade Kenya late on Friday, May 30, 2025, the Kenya delegation was in Tanzania for the ministerial session of the 46th East African Community (EAC) Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance, and Investment.
The session brought together high-ranking officials from EAC member states, including ministers, cabinet and principal secretaries, and other senior government representatives.
CS Askul, who joined President William Ruto’s cabinet after mass dismissal during the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests, chaired the session in Tanzania.
The session centred on bolstering regional trade and deepening economic integration.
Kenya’s presentation
According to Trade Kenya, Caroline Karugu presented he outcomes and recommendations from the Principal Secretaries’ Session for review and consideration.
“Areas of focus included elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to facilitate trade, infrastructure development, improvement of customs systems, advancement of trade through regional integration initiatives and negotiations of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with third parties under the EAC,” the statement read in part.
In a separate statement, Lee Kinyanjui confirmed his attendance while stating that EAC remains a strong pillar for economic empowerment in the region.
“The East African Community (EAC) remains a key engine of economic growth, not just for individual member states, but for the entire region.
“With trade and investment at the heart of the EAC agenda, aligning our national goals is essential to unlocking shared prosperity for all East Africans,” Lee stated.
