S. Africa, Kenya need further discussions on issues of migration, non-tariff trade: Zuma

Further discussions will be taking place between South Africa and Kenya on the issues of migration and non-tariff barriers to trade, President Jacob Zuma said on Wednesday.

The two countries also need to further discuss how they can remove obstacles that have hindered such activities, Zuma said upon his return from Kenya after a two-day state visit, the first by a South African Head of State since the end of apartheid in 1994.

"We have tasked our ministers to urgently work on the implementation of our agreements on these matters and we expect a progress report in our next meeting in the near future," the president said.

Zuma hailed the visit as a remarkable success, during which he held productive official talks with his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta.

"This historic state visit has been remarkably successful as we discussed and agreed on various important issues that will significantly heighten the bilateral and economic relations not only for our countries but also for the benefit of our respective regions," Zuma said.

South Africa and Kenya occupy important places in their respective regions as leading economies therefore the outcomes of the visit will have a great impact in integrating the two regions, said Zuma.

Amongst the issues that the two Heads of State discussed during the visit was the issue of migration which would ensure efficient movement of goods and people to increase the volume of economic activities between the two countries.

Zuma said there were various measures that needed to be considered to enable such movements, in particular security measures since Kenya had been targeted by terror groups who might exploit such opportunity for their own criminal or terrorist ends.

Zuma and Kenyatta further exchanged views on important regional, continental and global issues of mutual concern, particularly the issue of peace and security in the continent.

Zuma said South Africa was committed to continue contributing in peace and security missions in the continent including in Kenya and the East Africa region, which have been adversely affected by acts terrorism and extremism.

During the visit, South Africa and Kenya signed various agreements and Memoranda of Understanding including an Agreement on Visa Waiver for diplomatic and official passport holders; an Agreement on Military Training, Visits and Technical Assistance; Agreement on Mutual Assistance between Customs Administration, among others.

The signing of these instruments was a clear indication of the two countries' collective determination to take their relations to a higher level, Zuma said.

He said the two countries share common democratic principles and it was important that his visit will elevate bilateral and economic relations to lift the peoples of the two countries from clutches of poverty and underdevelopment and also ensure greater economic integration between the regions. Endit