Conclusion of the Bilateral Tariff Negotiations between SACU and the EAC

Posted in Trade

1. The COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA), which was launched on 10^th June 2015, aims to establish a single market for 27 African countries with a combined population of about 700 million people (57% of Africa’s population), and Gross Domestic Product above USD 1.4 trillion.

2. The TFTA is built on three pillars (market integration, infrastructure development and industrial development) and there is a parallel agreement on movement of business persons. The Tripartite approach reflects the desire to advance regional integration from multiple fronts. As such, the TFTA would facilitate development of regional infrastructure for cross-border trade and lead to harmonisation of trade regimes amongst Tripartite Member/Partner States, stimulate industrial development through creation of value chains and facilitate movement of business persons.

3. As part of the market integration pillar, Member/Partner States have been engaged in bilateral tariff liberalisation negotiations. The market access negotiations between the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), consisting of Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa, and the East African Community (EAC), which consists of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda have largely been successfully concluded.

4. The conclusion of the SACU-EAC negotiations marks a significant step towards realising the benefits of the TFTA. The main aim of the SACU-EAC market access negotiations has always been to provide commercially meaningful market access for the private sector in the two regions.

5. The SACU-EAC private sector will thus have access to new and dynamic markets for exports as well as new sources of inputs for domestic production processes, thereby enhancing intra-regional trade.

6. Furthermore, there is emphasis on the development of regional value chains in a wide range of sectors, to deepen integration between SACU and the EAC. 

7. The conclusion of the negotiations provides an opportunity for the TFTA to be a building block and to have a coordinated approach for negotiations in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact:

Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org

About the East African Community Secretariat:

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. 

The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001:2008 Certified

EAC Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment underway in Arusha

Posted in Trade

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 27^th May, 2019: A five-day East African Community Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) meeting is currently underway at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The SCTIFI meeting started today with the Session of Senior Officials which runs from 27^th to 29^thMay, 2019 followed by the Coordination Committee (Session of Permanent/Principal/Under Secretaries) on 30^thMay, 2019 and the Ministers Session on 31^stMay, 2019.

Continue Reading

Competition Experts Draft EAC Competition Authority Outreach and Advocacy Strategy

Posted in Trade

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 29^th March, 2019: A four-days Competition Experts Consultative Meeting to draft the East African Competition Authority (EACA) Outreach and Advocacy Strategy (2019/20 – 2024/25) concluded today in Bujumbura, Burundi.

The 26^th – 29^th March, 2019 meeting was attended by Competition and Communication Experts from all the Partner States and staff from the EAC Secretariat.

Continue Reading

EAC undergoes third Joint Trade Policy Review by the World Trade Organization, 20th and 22nd March, 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland

Posted in Trade

East African Community Secretariat, 29^th March, 2019:EAC Partner States are committed to the multilateral trading system and are therefore reviewed after every six years by the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Policy Review Mechanism.

It is in this context that the EAC Partner States underwent their Third joint Trade Policy Review from 20^th to 22^nd March, 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. The objective of the review is to achieve greater transparency in, and understanding of the EAC’s trade and trade related policies on the Customs Union and Common Market by the WTO Members and to enable a multilateral assessment of the adherence by EAC Partner States who are WTO Members, to the rules, disciplines and commitments made under the WTO Agreements.

Continue Reading