President William Ruto’s two-day state visit to Tanzania has yielded a series of agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding trade and investment between the two neighbouring countries.
President Ruto, who left Kenya on Monday, May 4, 2026, held a one-on-one meeting with his host, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, before the two leaders joined their respective delegations for official bilateral talks.
During the engagements, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of eight key agreements covering cooperation in energy, legal affairs, agriculture, railway development, public service capacity building, maritime cooperation, certification standards for seafarers, and harmonisation of regional standards.
The leaders also welcomed continued growth in bilateral trade, which reached US$860.3 million in 2025, underscoring the economic importance of the two countries to each other within the East African region.
To further boost trade flows, Kenya and Tanzania agreed to eliminate outstanding non-tariff barriers by June 30, 2026, a move expected to ease cross-border business operations and improve market access.
Tourism was also identified as a priority sector, with both leaders agreeing to accelerate initiatives aimed at unlocking the industry’s full potential and deepening people-to-people connections.
On infrastructure, the two countries committed to reviving the Voi–Mwatate–Taveta railway line, which is expected to enhance regional trade and reduce transport costs once operational.
It was also disclosed that 564 kilometres of the 778-kilometre shared boundary have already been completed, with the remaining section expected to be finalised by 2027.
President Ruto said Kenya and Tanzania have set an ambitious target of Sh130 billion in new trade and Sh65 billion in fresh cross-border investments.
“Business and trade will grow exponentially if non-tariff barriers are eliminated, including border delays, non-harmonised standards, and restricted market access. This is the reason we have set ourselves a June 30, 2026 target to ensure all these barriers are removed,” Ruto said.
He further noted that structured mechanisms will be strengthened to sustain cooperation between the two countries.
“Consequently, our Joint Business Council must become the central platform for structured collaboration. Additionally, the Tanzania–Kenya Business Forum will be institutionalised as an annual event to review progress, track implementation, and unlock new opportunities,” he added.
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