THE East African Community (EAC) has on Friday launched a two-day high-level multisectoral dialogue in Kigali, Rwanda, aimed at addressing persistent and emerging barriers hindering intra-regional trade and advancing the bloc’s integration agenda.

The meeting brings together technical experts and policy officials from all eight EAC partner states to examine bottlenecks affecting trade, assess the effectiveness of current interventions, and propose concrete, actionable measures to fast-track the full implementation of the Customs Union and the Common Market.

Despite notable progress in establishing legal, institutional and policy frameworks to support regional integration, intra-EAC trade has remained relatively low, averaging about 15 per cent of total trade for more than a decade. This falls significantly short of the region’s estimated potential of between 30 and 50 per cent. Leaders at the dialogue are therefore expected to shift focus from policy formulation to strengthening implementation, enforcement and coordination mechanisms.

A major issue under discussion is the continued prevalence of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), which remain a significant obstacle to seamless trade within the region. Persistent challenges include discriminatory domestic taxes and charges, duplicative inspections, inconsistent application of Rules of Origin, and sanitary and phytosanitary requirements that disrupt the free flow of goods. Participants are exploring stronger enforcement tools, clearer escalation pathways to the Council and Summit, and the operationalisation of regional trade remedies to address politically sensitive NTBs.

The dialogue is also reviewing high transport and logistics costs, incomplete implementation of the One Network Area, and digital integration challenges such as limited system interoperability and weak real-time data exchange. These gaps often result in duplication of procedures and border delays. Uneven implementation of One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) and the Single Customs Territory, along with capacity constraints and uncoordinated border operations, are further areas of concern.

Additional discussions are focusing on delays in ratifying and enforcing Customs Union and Common Market commitments, slow liberalisation of services, low levels of industrialisation and value addition, and underperformance of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The dialogue is also considering the impact of climate risks and the crucial role of youth and women in driving inclusive growth and expanding regional trade participation.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Prudence Sebahizi, welcomed delegates and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to deepening regional integration through closer collaboration with the private sector.

The Minister of State in charge of EAC Affairs, Yusta Kayitesi, warned that NTBs increase transaction costs, disrupt supply chains and weaken private-sector confidence, thereby undermining the credibility of the EAC as a rules-based market. She stressed that collective action among partner states is essential to unlocking the region’s trade potential.

Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of East African Community, ASALs and regional development, Beatrice Askul Moe, called for simpler, faster and more competitive trade processes. She urged stakeholders to develop a clear, actionable plan to reduce clearance times, ease the movement of goods and ensure predictable regulations.

EAC secretary general,Veronica Nduva, noted that regional trade within the Community has grown from US$6.42 billion in 2016 to US$15.25 billion in 2024, representing an estimated annual growth rate of 11 to 12 per cent. However, she observed that intra-EAC trade still accounts for only about one-eighth of total exports, with its share rising modestly from 11.5 per cent in 2016 to 12.2 per cent in 2024, indicating continued reliance on external markets.

From the private sector, vice chairperson of the East African Business Council (EABC), Denis Karera, called for practical, results-driven measures. He proposed the adoption of a scorecard to track progress and ensure time-bound implementation of agreed reforms.

The dialogue is expected to produce a set of priority actions and recommendations for consideration by the EAC Council and summit, with the goal of accelerating the realisation of a seamless, competitive and inclusive single market and unlocking the region’s full intra-regional trade potential.

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