EAC sees intra-trade within the bloc rise to 40bn US dollars
ARUSHA: THE Intra-regional trade within the East African Community member states has grown to reach nearly 40bn US dollars as of now. which is equivalent to 103 trillion/-
The Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC) Veronicah Nduva said records show that trade within the region grew from US$28.2 billion in the second quarter of 2024 to over US$39 billion in 2025.
“Trends are indicating that regional communities will experience more economic growth than individual states,” pointed out the EAC Secretary General while addressing the media at the community secretariat in Arusha.
“The East Africa is a large community of 300 million people, with 60 percent among them being the youth of under 18, thus making it a very young region,” she pointed out.
According to Ms Nduva, the East African Community has also managed to resolve more than 300 non-tariff trade barriers in the past 20 years since 2007, with 10 such NTBs still pending at various stages of resolution.
Presenting the state of the East African Community, the secretary general said during the forthcoming Heads of State summit in Arusha, on Saturday, March 7, 2026 the eight EAC presidents will officially launch the unified regional customs bond which is aimed at facilitating smoother trade across borders.
“The eight presidents will also inaugurate the 2026-2021 East Africa development strategy, the 7th such initiative since the community was established in 1999,” explained the Secretary General.
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President Samia Suluhu Hassan will host the other seven EAC Heads of State in their ordinary summit meeting in Arusha, where also a new Secretary General of the community will be anointed to replace Ms Nduva who completes her term in April.
They will also swear in new Judges for the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), during an event which will bring into Arusha more than 700 delegates.
“I also had an official audience with the Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu in Zanzibar last week and she was impressed by the positive strides that the community has taken within a very short time,” said Nduva.
Among the achievements include the Free Movement of Labor, through which harmonized policies on employment and work permits are making it easier for EAC nationals to seek employment in other member states. For instance; through MRAs, accountants and engineers are able to work anywhere in the region.
There is also the EAC Work Permits and Common Labor Market which has simplified and harmonized procedures for work permits, enabling easier access to employment across the region.
