Trade, immigration reforms hand Kenya integration edge

The essence of regional integration is having people, goods and services moving freely beyond national limits.

In Africa, a lot of efforts are ongoing to attain this through diverse strategies including merger of economic blocs to clear impediments to cross-border flow of people, cargo and services as well as capital.

“Deeper regional integration means larger markets and industrialisation and productivity as part of value chains. It means talent mobility thanks to greater visa openness, Mr Erastus Mwencha, deputy chairperson African Union Commission says.

In what could become Africa’s biggest shift to integration, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) target to form a tripartite 27-nation Free Trade Area (FTA).

Kenya is a key member of both the EAC and Comesa, and the merger of the three blocs will have an impact on how it plays alongside other members of the grand FTA.

The African Union Commission, (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) have jointly published the Africa Regional Integration Index Report 2016 that captures how various nations sit in Africa’s integration journey.

Shipping & Logistics has captured Kenya’s performance in the index against other members of EAC and Comesa.