PS Regina Ombam Launches National Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee and its Five-Year Strategic Plan

The State Department for Trade, in collaboration with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and various state agencies, with support from TradeMark Africa through the Business Environment and Export Enhancement Programme (BEEEP), launched the National Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee and the National TBT Strategic Plan (2025–2029).

The initiative forms part of Kenya’s implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement and is designed to strengthen regulatory coherence, improve coordination among institutions and align Kenya’s trade systems with international standards.

Established under Gazette Notice No. 8740 of 4 July 2025, the National TBT Committee is a central mechanism under the National Quality Policy (2023) for promoting coordinated regulation and enhancing market access. As Kenya’s mirror committee to the WTO TBT Committee, it oversees the development, implementation, and enforcement of technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures to ensure they do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade.

The National TBT Strategic Plan (2025–2029) aligns with key national, regional, and global frameworks, including the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), Kenya Vision 2030, the EAC Vision 2050, Africa Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It focuses on four strategic goals: strengthening legal and institutional capacity, enhancing trade facilitation, promoting stakeholder engagement and communication, and building capacity for effective implementation.

Speaking during the launch, Principal Secretary for Trade, Regina Ombam, noted that the formation of the committee comes at a time when global trade systems face increasing challenges. 

“We have an opportunity to redefine how trade operates in the 21st century, positioning Kenya as a regional hub and ensuring trade benefits our people and economy,” she said.

Lillian Mwai, Country Director at TradeMark Africa, emphasized the economic impact of technical barriers. 

“Technical barriers influence over 80 percent of global trade in goods. Yet fragmented technical regulations and slow conformity assessment can add up to 10 percent to export costs,” she stated. 

Mwai added that EU funding through BEEEP has supported Kenya’s participation in regional and global trade platforms, ensuring that issues affecting Kenyan exports are addressed multilaterally.

Filipo Amato, EU Trade Counsellor at the EU Delegation to Kenya, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Kenya’s trade agenda. 

“The European Union remains one of Kenya’s leading trade partners, accounting for about 21% of exports and 17% of imports. We view this committee not as a bureaucratic layer, but as a bridge between Kenya and its trading partners,” he said.

By promoting transparency, non-discrimination, and efficiency in trade measures, the National TBT Committee and its Strategic Plan aim to strengthen Kenya’s role in global trade, driving sustainable economic growth and competitiveness by 2029.