The East African Community (EAC) has adopted a series of strategic measures to strengthen regional trade, accelerate industrial development, and enhance economic competitiveness following the 48th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance, and Investment in Arusha, Tanzania.
Speaking at the summit, EAC Secretary General Ambassador Stephen Mbundi urged member states to build a stronger internal market and eliminate non-tariff barriers to cushion the bloc against current geopolitical tensions, disrupted maritime routes, and rising global protectionism.
To fast-track trade facilitation, the Council endorsed Time Release Studies for the Northern and Central Corridors to streamline cargo clearance and approved a monitoring framework for the EAC Customs Union Protocol, which includes onboarding South Sudan into regional customs data-sharing networks.
Ministers also approved a comprehensive review of the EAC Rules of Origin 2015 and weighed legal proposals to introduce sanctions and trader compensation for illegal cross-border restrictions. Externally, the bloc welcomed a formal proposal from Singapore to launch negotiations for an EAC-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, directing the Secretariat to establish a co-ordinated regional framework for the talks.
Finally, the Council approved pre-budget fiscal measures under the Common External Tariff to take effect on July 1,2026, setting strict deadlines through September 2026 for technical trade analysis, duty remission frameworks, and regional steering committee reviews.
–ChannelAfrica/EAC–
