Kenya's first Ebola case raises concerns over trade barriers in EAC

Kenya and its East African Community neighbours have to grapple with balancing the containment of the Ebola virus disease outbreak while shielding their economies from major shocks as the virus starts spreading in the region.

Kenya on Tuesday confirmed the first case, with concerns that the interconnected nature of EAC, with thousands of traders and freight crossing key border posts, could fuel the spread but also concerns that heavy-handed restrictions could ruin drive down business.

Business leaders noted that while there is need for higher vigilance, they warned that heavy-handed restrictions could paralyse supply chains and hurt market confidence while also penalising small-scale cross-border traders.

The East African Business Council in a recent statement said EAC governments should respond to the outbreak in the region with vigilance but also in a manner that would not cause unnecessarily barriers to trade in the region.

“This is a serious public health event, but it must not become an avoidable regional trade, investment and market-confidence shock... protect public health and keep trade moving safely,” said Ahmed Farah, executive director EABC.

“Commercial exposure is most immediate where public health controls affect eastern DR Congo supply chains, border communities and trade or logistics nodes linked to wider EAC markets. Uganda-linked routes and other Partner State gateways should expect heightened screening readiness, traveller health declaration processes, cargo-routing adjustments, tourism confidence concerns, insurance conditions and investor perception issues.”

He noted that while businesses should be ready for higher levels of screening at different border points and possible processing delays, state agencies manning the borders should avoid unnecessary restrictions that could become non-tariff barriers.

Farah said that the EAC economy depends on the movement of goods and people across the connected borders.

“Public health protection and trade facilitation must move together,” he said, adding the EAC secretariat had in an earlier statement said there is need to address implications for regional trade and the free movement of persons under the EAC Common Market Protocol.

“For the private sector, this means health measures should be clear, consistent and predictable across border posts, airports, ports, logistics nodes and tourism gateways.”

The EAC Ministers of Health in a June meeting agreed to harmonise Ebola surveillance and protective measures at all entry points across the region as well as to establish a Regional Technical Taskforce to coordinate the response to the outbreak.

“The Ministers agreed to convene a multisectoral meeting to address security concerns related to the Ebola response, including implications for regional trade and the free movement of persons under the EAC Common Market Protocol,” said EAC in a statement after the meeting by Health Ministers.

EAC is considered among the most integrated regional economic blocs in Africa due to the ease of movement of people and goods. The World Health Organisation in a recent report noted the porousness of EAC borders, noting that thousands of people cross Kenya’s western border every day.

“Busia sits on the Northern Corridor, the trade route running from Mombasa through Uganda to Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More than 3,000 people cross here daily, alongside freight moving to and from the region. That constant movement makes border workers and communities an important part of Kenya’s early warning system,” said WHO.

WHO also identified major gas at the Busia border post, where it noted screening of small-scale traders runs from 8AM to 6PM but “night-time screening remains a gap” recommending that staff numbers should be increased to enable round-the-clock screening.

The Ministry of Health on Tuesday confirmed the first case of Ebola in Kenya. The individual had travelled on Saturday October 3 on a Jambojet flight from Entebbe to Nairobi. The carrier said it is working with authorities in identifying other passengers who may have been in contact with the individual.

“We are working closely with the Ministry of Health, Port Health Services and other relevant authorities to support the ongoing public health response, including the identification and management of the other guests and crew who may have been in contact with the individual,” said Jambojet in a statement yesterday.