East African states have been urged to amicably iron out emerging differences amongst them, rather than resorting to retaliations.
Kenyan Regional Integration Secretary in the ministry of East African Affairs Barrack Ndegwa said the differences pitting Kenya and Tanzania should not reoccur.
Ndegwa further said the East African treaty that came into effect in the year 2000 did not talk about retaliation.
“The treaty did not talk about retaliation and the East African states should desist from retaliating and instead find a common ground to issues affecting them,” he said.
He said retaliations will deter growth of the East African states, and slow integration process.
Speaking in Kisumu during a border inter-counties forum, Ndegwa said non tariff barriers in the East African states remains a challenge to the integration process.
He said non-tariff barriers constitute to duplication of clearance process and local charges imposed on transit trucks amongst others.
Ndegwa said the non tariffs continue to be withdrawn, and imposed at will thus causing jittery among East African states.
He observed that tariffs are the cause of retaliations now being witnessed between Kenya and Tanzania, adding that there are numerous challenges as the East African states continue to deepen and widen regional integration, particularly in the economic front.