The East African Community (EAC) yesterday urged Tanzania and Kenya to amicably resolve the dispute caused by the decision to deny Tanzanian-registered tour vans entry into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.

EAC Secretary-General Richard Sezibera told journalists in his office that it was the wish of the regional organisation to see the issue resolved swiftly and amicably for the benefit of the region.

“We will encourage anything that will facilitate regional integration,” he said.

However, Dr Sezibera added that his office had not been officially notified of the problem, but promised that the tourism unit within the secretariat in Arusha would make a follow up since tourism was a key economic sector for the bloc.

Kenyan authorities on December 22, 2014 banned Tanzanian-registered vehicles from dropping off or picking up passengers at JKIA. Although no official statement has been issued in Nairobi, sources within the industry say the move was in retaliation for Tanzania’s refusal to allow Kenyan-registered vans to take tourists directly to national parks in Tanzania.

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The two EAC partner states are major competitors in the multi-million-dollar tourism industry and attract over half of the nearly four million tourists visiting the region annually.

Natural Resources and Tourism minister Lazaro Nyalandu on Saturday assured owners of the vehicles affected by the ban that he would travel to Nairobi this week to discuss the crisis with his Kenyan counterpart.

He said the two countries agreed in 1985 that Kenyan tourist vehicles should not be allowed into Tanzania’s national parks in a move aimed at protecting and empowering Tanzanian tour operators. Mr Nyalandu added that the decision to ban Tanzanian-registered vehicles from JKIA was contrary to the agreement.

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“We in the government are also shocked because the decision by Kenyan authorities has nothing to do with agreements regarding tourism signed by the two countries,” he said.

A tour operator based in Arusha, Mr Moses King’ori, said he would accompany Mr Nyalandu to Nairobi tomorrow to meet Kenyan officials.

He hinted that security concerns, especially terrorism, may have compelled Kenyan authorities to ban vehicles with Tanzanian number plates from the airport.

Shuttle bus operators based in Arusha urged the government to give the matter priority, saying the ban had seriously affected their businesses.