Egyptian exports to the Kenyan market will continue to be exempted from customs duties for another year starting July, according to Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea.
The exemption of the Egyptian exports to Kenya came within the framework of the exception granted by the East African Union to the states of Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda, which are members of the union, and the COMESA grouping to grant the rest of the COMESA member states a comprehensive customs exemption.
The minister said that the Egyptian commercial office in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, received an official letter from the Kenya Revenue Authority stating that Kenya had obtained the approval of the East African Community (EAC) to extend customs exemptions granted to member states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa for a period of one year.
For his part, Ahmed Maghawry, Head of Commercial Representation, confirmed that the Egyptian Commercial Office in Kenya is in constant contact with the concerned Kenyan authorities to follow up on the position of exempting Egyptian exports exported to the Kenyan market from customs duties, especially since the previous exception granted to Egypt expired on June 30.
