The East African Community (EAC) and Germany have concluded bilateral development co-operation negotiations at the EAC headquarters in Tanzania, with Germany committing €39.8 million ($45.9 million) in new grant funding to boost economic integration and regional trade.
The delegation was led by EAC Secretary General Ambassador Stephen Mbundi and Joachim Schmitt, Head of the Central and East Africa Division at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development. The talks align with the rollout of the 7th EAC Development Strategy, focusing on deepening private sector engagement, improving rules-based trade integration, and expanding financial access across Partner States.
A significant portion of the package will target micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, which account for up to 80% of regional employment, through a partnership between Germany’s KfW development bank and the East African Development Bank. The funding will also support metrology and quality standards through Germany’s National Metrology Institute to enhance consumer protection and global market access.
Additionally, €4.8 million ($5.5 million) from the grant allocation has been earmarked for immediate Ebola preparedness and response measures in the region. Implemented through the existing EAC/GIZ PanPrep project in co-ordination with World Health Organisation and Africa CDC, these emergency funds will cover infection control training for health workers, procurement of personal protective equipment, regulatory preparedness for vaccines, and community awareness initiatives.
–ChannelAfrica/EAC–
