20110404 - Visiting Woirld Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General Pascal Lamy supports the strong determination of the East African states to integrate their economies. He reckons the initiative to merge was a move in the right direction for the region’s population.

Mr Lamy said in Mombasa that WTO viewed the process as the most dynamic in the whole of Africa, as it had the political will of the leaders and the momentum needed to ensure its success. Speaking when he paid courtesy call at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) headquarters, the WTO director general further commended KPA for steadying itself to serve EAC hinterland.

He added that not only serving Kenyans, but the vast hinterland areas of Uganda, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and lately the south Sudan.

KPA Managing Director Gichiri Ndua, who hosted Lamy, told the WTO chief that runaway piracy off the East African coastline has impacted negatively on the port operations. Mr Ndua said vessels calling at the port of Mombasa have to detour to avoid easy contact with pirates in the high waters.

Ndua said it is crucial for the international community to confront piracy, which remains the biggest threat to full utilization of the port of Mombasa. He informed Lamy that the port had successfully implemented a 24-hour working schedule to help hasten cargo clearance, and was carrying out massive investments to upgrade its facilities as it gears towards full efficiency.