EAC Secretary General urges public-private ties to grow trade

Hon. Amb. Stephen P. Mbundi called for stronger partnerships to increase intra-EAC trade and reach a 50 percent regional trade target by 2030.

The East African Community (EAC) Secretary General, Hon. Amb. Stephen P. Mbundi, has called for enhanced cooperation between the public and private sectors to improve regional competitiveness. Speaking at the EABC CEO Trade and Investment Roundtable in Dar es Salaam on August 5, 2026, he emphasized that private sector involvement is essential for economic transformation and deeper integration.

During the forum, themed around enhancing competitiveness to boost trade, Mbundi highlighted that intra-EAC trade has not yet reached its maximum capacity. While the region represents a market of over 331 million people with a combined GDP of roughly US$357 billion, internal trade remains low. The EAC aims to raise the share of intra-regional trade to 50 percent by the year 2030.

Trade data from 2025 shows the Community reached a total trade volume of US$156.7 billion. This figure consists of US$137 billion in trade with international partners and US$19.7 billion in trade conducted between EAC Partner States. Mbundi identified several obstacles to higher internal trade, including infrastructure issues, regulatory differences, non-tariff barriers, and difficulties in accessing finance for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

To address these gaps, the Secretary General urged business leaders to create measurable and innovative ways to strengthen regional value chains and attract investment. He also noted the importance of the region's demographic profile, as more than 75 percent of the population is young. He suggested that investing in digital transformation, entrepreneurship, skills, and innovation is necessary to make East Africa a competitive hub for services and manufacturing.

Recommendations from the Dar es Salaam roundtable will be included in the upcoming Annual EAC Trade and Investment Climate Report. This document is scheduled for release during the EAC Investment Forum in September 2026. The Secretariat intends to continue working with stakeholders to facilitate the free movement of capital, labour, goods, and services while removing trade barriers.