President William Ruto has commended Tanzania for taking the lead in trading goods and services within the East African Community (EAC).
Speaking at the EAC Heads of state summit in Tanzania, Ruto said the inter-trade between EAC countries has grown and Tanzania has dethroned Kenya in East Africa.
He said that this indicates that trade between member states is growing.
The president noted that countries are now selling more different products and services between each other in a common market.
Ruto insisted that this is EAC member states must continue to work together.
“Today in the inter trade between all our countries, Kenya was the leading country in terms of goods and services that we trade in east Africa. Today Tanzania has overtaken Kenya, and I must commend Tanzania for the progress they are making, that the numbers are growing of trade between our countries and as the numbers grow, different countries are selling more different products, different services within our common market. It is what it is, and that is why we must work on this consistently together,” he said.
Ruto noted that the bloc must work together because they have common interests, which converge.
He added that if the EAC is to thrive then it needs a bigger market which can only be provided by their unity.
He said this is the only way there can be market for all that is produced or manufactured in different member states.
“President Museveni has said that we are not in this community because we love one another, its good to love one another, it is a good thing, but we are in this because we have common interests, our interests converge.
“If we are to prosper, we need a big enough market for our
producers, manufacturers, for our business people to trade and to invest. It is
good for business people in Tanzania, Rwanda, in every country that we have a
bigger market and it is a market that has no barriers,” Ruto said.