East African leaders urge increased intra-regional trade

Regional leaders and business experts are calling for increased intra-East African Community (EAC) trade to bolster industrialization and economic growth. Oscar Kamukama, a Director for the East African Business Council (EABC) representing Uganda, noted that while the EAC recorded US$156.7 billion in total trade in 2025, only US$19.7 billion—approximately 12.3 per cent—was traded among partner states.

Kamukama urged businesses to prioritize regional markets to achieve the scale necessary for job creation and international competitiveness. He emphasized the importance of leveraging the 1.4 billion-person African market through the African Continental Free Trade Area.

In South Sudan, officials are being urged to accelerate the implementation of EAC commitments to transform the nation into a strategic hub for manufacturing and regional value chains. Annette Mutawe Ssemuwemba, Deputy Secretary General of the EAC Secretariat, highlighted the need for policy predictability, the removal of non-tariff barriers, and the harmonization of procedures to reduce business costs and attract investment.