The TBT/SPS national consultative committee meeting was held at the Kenya Bureau of Standards meeting on 5th September 2017. The meeting discussed the preparations for the WTO TBT meeting in Geneva in November 2017 and Kenya’s position on the issues to be discussed and especially the notification on the ban on plastics in August 2017. The members were also taken through and trained on Technical Evaluation of Notifications especially E-Ping among others.

The National SPS Committee Meeting was held on 19th June 2018 in Telposta Towers, Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting discussed the documents circulated by the WTO Secretariat in Geneva regarding the SPS Committee Meeting in Geneva Scheduled for July 2018.

2nd Kenya Trade Week at the Kenya International Convention Centre on the 31st July 2018. The meeting discussed Kenya’s exports initiatives to diversify the export products, markets. There were also discussions on trade development incentive mechanisms. The Kenya National Export Development and Promotion Strategy and the Kenya National AGOA Strategy were also launched by the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya. These two documents were discussed at length and papers presented. Various manufacturers had also exhibited their products.

The 2nd Inter-ministerial Committee Meeting on the Preparations for the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference was held on 5th October 2017 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The following were discussed during the Meeting on the Preparations for the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference Held on 2nd November 2017 at KICC at Foreign Service.

The 3rd Inter-ministerial Committee Meeting on the Preparations for the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference was held on 13th October 2017 at KICC at Foreign Service. The following were discussed on the Preparations for the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference Held on 2nd November 2017 at KICC at Foreign Service.

The training was held from the 27th to the 31st of August 2018 in Entebbe, Uganda. It started with training on Manual 5 on Training Management, Delivery and Communication Skills followed by Manual 1: Simplified Trade regime. This was followed Manual 2 which was on Service Provision At Project Border Posts and National Coordination. The participants were then trained on Manual 3 which was on Gender and development for border officials and cross border traders followed Manual 4 on Gender based violence in cross Border trade.

The training was held from the 10th to the 14th of September 2018 in Muzanze, Rwanda. It started with training on Manual 5 on Training Management, Delivery and Communication Skills followed by Manual 1: Simplified Trade regime. This was followed Manual 2 which was on Service Provision At Project Border Posts and National Coordination. The participants were then trained on Manual 3 which was on Gender and development for border officials and cross border traders followed Manual 4 on Gender based violence in cross Border trade.

The training was held from the 6th to the 10th of August 2018 at Goma DRC. It started with training on Manual 5 on Training Management, Delivery and Communication Skills followed by Manual 1: Simplified Trade regime. This was followed Manual 2 which was on Service Provision At Project Border Posts and National Coordination. The participants were then trained on Manual 3 which was on Gender and development for border officials and cross border traders followed Manual 4 on Gender based violence in cross Border trade.

The National TBT committee Meeting was held on the 29th May 2018 at the Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting first discussed the minutes of the last meeting and matters arising. Thereafter a report from East African Standards Committee meeting concerning Regional TBT Forum was discussed followed by an Update on EAC Regional TBT Work plan (USAID). The state of preparedness for the WTO TBT meeting in Geneva was discussed at length followed by the Technical Evaluation of Domestic and Foreign Notifications and review of Special Trade Concerns.

The National Stakeholders’ workshop on the WTO TBT Triennial Review took place from 30th – 31st May 2018 at Laico Regency Hotel. The meeting discussed the proposals for the 8th Triennial Review of the WTO TBT Agreement in terms of Transparency, Operation of the Committee, Good regulatory practice (GRP), Conformity assessment and the way forward.