East African Community pushes 50% intra‑regional trade goal by 2030 at Dar es Salaam summit

Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan opened the Africa50 summit and the Africa Infrastructure Platform in Dar es Salaam, urging faster implementation of roads, rail, ports, energy and digital networks to deliver tangible benefits to citizens. She highlighted the need for private‑sector investment, AfCFTA cooperation and Tanzania’s own projects such as the expanded Dar es Salaam port, the Standard Gauge Railway, airport upgrades and clean‑energy generation.

At the same conference, EAC Secretary‑General Stephen Mbundi announced the bloc’s aim to raise intra‑regional trade from the current US$19.7 billion to 50 % of total trade by 2030. He cited challenges like fragmented customs, tariffs, long paperwork and high transport costs, and called on governments, industry and financiers to remove barriers and boost long‑term funding. Officials from member states, the East African Business Council and development banks echoed the call for greater private investment and smoother cross‑border commerce.