… over 2,000 participants from both public and private sector officials expected to attend
East African Community, Istanbul, Turkey 20th October, 2021:The upcoming 3rd Africa-Turkey Economic and Business Forum that will be held in Istanbul, Turkey from 21st to 22nd October, 2021 will increase the flow of investment and business opportunities between Turkey and Africa.
Speaking ahead of the forum in Istanbul, the EAC Director General-Customs and Trade, Mr. Kenneth Bagamuhunda, said that more than 2,000 from public and private sector players are expected to attend the forum, which is aimed at promoting and increase trade and investment between Africa and Turkey.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 21st September, 2021: The East African Community (EAC) Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki, urged the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat to adapt an integration approach that is people-centred, market-driven and private sector-led, to ensure African citizens benefit from the continental agreement.
Speaking in Accra, Ghana, during the 1st coordination meeting of Heads of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on the implementation of the AfCFTA, Dr.Mathuki noted, AfCFTA, with a promising market of around 1.3 billion consumers and a GDP of 3.4 trillion US dollars, promises to unlock many opportunities beneficial to African's citizens.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 11th September, 2021: EAC Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki has hailed the Republic of Burundi and the United Republic of Tanzania for ratifying the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).
Burundi ratified the AfCFTA on 17th June, 2021 while Tanzania on 9th September, 2021.
Hon. Mathuki said that the AfCFTA would allow East Africans to access a large continental market and increase EAC’s exports to African countries outside the bloc.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 30th August, 2021: A two-day East African Community (EAC) workshop aimed at enhancing the participation of women in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opened on Monday.
Speaking during the opening session of the workshop, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of the Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, said that traders in Africa especially women, youth and SMEs face significant challenges when attempting to benefit from multilateral and regional trade agreements as many trade agreements do not include their specific needs and concerns.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 28th July, 2021: The Republic of Burundi has launched her own Trade Information Portal which is meant to map out all her imports, exports and transit procedures, fees and time. The next step after mapping will be to simplify and remove unnecessary and redundant bottlenecks.
Trade Information Portals (TIPS) have already been launched and operationalised by Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th July, 2021: The United Republic of Tanzania has launched its Trade information Portal which is expected to boost intra-regional trade in East Africa as well as the region’s share of international trade.
The Tanzania Trade Information Portal was launched during the Saba Saba International Trade Fair held in the East African nation’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, by Zanzibar’s Minister for Trade and Industry Development, Hon. Said Omar Shabani, assisted by Hon. Exaud Silaoneka Kigahe (MP), the Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 29th May, 2021: The East African Community Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) has urged the EAC Regional Coordination Committee to review and harmonise the Covid-19 testing charges, in addition to the validity and mutual recognition of the certificates with a view to ensuring the safe and smooth movement of goods and persons in the region.
The SCTIFI noted with concern the non-recognition of Covid-19 certificates by Partner States, the unharmonised charges for Covid-19 testing and the validity of Covid-19 certificates amongst Partner States.
…His Excellency Paul Kagame expected to grace the opening
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 3rd December, 2019: The 20th Edition of the annual East African Community Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSES) Trade Fair, formerly known as JuaKali Nguvu Kazi Exhibition is set for 13th to 22nd December, 2019 at Gikondo Expo Grounds in Kigali, Rwanda.
The 20th Edition Trade Fair themed; EAC@20: Building EAC through Micro and Small Enterprises jointly organized on a rotational basis by the EAC Secretariat, the East African Confederation of Informal Sector Organisation (EACISO) in collaboration with EAC Partner States, brings together artisans from the six (6) EAC Partner States comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
EAC Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 1st October, 2019: The web site of the EU-EAC Market Access Upgrade Programme was officially launched at a festive event during the EAC High Level Trade Integration Conference held from 25th to 27th September, 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development, Kenya, Dr. Margret Mwakima, and Amb Jean Rigi, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of EAC Affairs, Burundi jointly launched the EAC MARKUP website.
East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 19th September, 2019: The East African Community has declared Fridays as ‘Afrika Mashariki Fashion Day’ during which East Africans will wear attires manufactured in the region.
The 36th Extra-Ordinary Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) further declared the 1st Week of September an ‘Afrika Mashariki Fashion Week’ to be held annually as a Trade Fair and Exhibition of EAC designed textiles and garments.
The SCTIFI urged EAC Partner States that produce cotton to set up national cotton lint buffer stock mechanisms to ensure all year-round availability of locally produced cotton lint to spinning mills.
