South Africa and Kenya have committed to resolve outstanding bilateral issues in preparation for the upcoming 6th session of the joint trade committee (JTC) to be held in Mombasa, Kenya in September, the trade and industry department (DTI) said on Sunday.

The commitment was agreed between DTI director general Lionel October and Kenyan principal secretary for the state department of trade in the ministry of industry, trade, and co-operatives Chris Kiptoo during a bilateral meeting held on the margins of the two-day Japan-Africa public-private economic forum at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Sunday, the DTI said in a statement.

October undertook to host the first ever Kenya-South African trade week in South Africa in October, and to also share a list of the top 40 investment projects in South Africa that Kenyan businesses could invest in.

“The latter is in reciprocation to the Kenyan state department of trade as having already shared with us a list of bankable investment projects in Kenya last year. Trade Invest Africa (TIA) will also facilitate engagements between Kenya and the Invest South Africa (InvestSA) division on identified investment projects in South Africa,” October said in the statement.

The meeting agreed on an action plan on trade and investment activities, including that South Africa would lead an outward trade and investment mission to Kenya by the end of May; South Africa would undertake a project specific mission to Kenya focusing on the Lamu Port Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor projects (LAPSSET); and an agreement that the 6th session of the joint trade committee to be held on August 27 to 29 in Mombasa be elevated to ministerial level at the appropriate time, the DTI said.