Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei has defended President William Ruto after he termed Tanzania and Uganda among the least developed countries in the world.
In a statement on Thursday, April 24, Sing’Oei explained that President Ruto was addressing the challenges Kenyan products exported to China are facing because Kenya is not classified as a least developed country (LDC).
The Foreign Affairs PS noted that Tanzania and Uganda do not face similar challenges as they are classified as LDCs.
“President Ruto was addressing market access constraints that Kenyan products to China face as a result of Kenya being a non-LDC country. Our neighbors, to the contrary, do not face similar challenges as they are designated as LDCs. “The LDC category was established by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as an acknowledgment by the international community that special support measures were needed to assist the least developed among the developing countries," said Sing’Oei.
He also pointed out that Kenya negotiated the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) due to being a non-LCD country.
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Further, Sing’Oei highlighted that if Kenya had a trade agreement with China, it would restore market access for Kenyan products.
“It is partly the reason Kenya negotiated the EPA with the EU, as LDCs' access to the EU market on preferential terms is unavailable to Kenya. A trade agreement with China along these lines will restore our parity of market access,” Sing’Oei added.
On Wednesday, April 23, President Ruto noted that people find it easy to export products to China through Uganda and Tanzania because they are designated as LCDs.
“The difference between us and our neighbors is that Kenya is in the middle-income category, while our neighbors, Tanzania, Uganda, and others, are in the least developed countries. We are categorized higher than them; therefore, while they export duty-free, Kenya exports with duty,” Ruto stated.
The President’s remarks sparked a debate online with a section of Kenyans accusing him of looking down upon Tanzania and Uganda, and could lead to diplomatic tensions.
Other netizens, however, defended Ruto, arguing that his remarks on Tanzania and Uganda being LCDs are factual.
According to the United Nations, Least developed countries (LDCs) are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development.
They are highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and have low levels of human assets. Uganda and Tanzania are among the 44 countries listed as LDCs.
"There are currently 44 economies designated by the United Nations as the least developed countries (LDCs), entitling them to preferential market access, aid, special technical assistance, and capacity-building on technology among other concessions," a statement by the UN reads.
