East African Community targets trade barriers amid push to boost regional trade
Permanent Secretaries from East African Community Partner States are meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to address non-tariff barriers affecting trade and seek ways of making cross-border business faster and cheaper. The meeting, which runs from September 22 to 25, 2026, is reviewing challenges affecting the movement of goods across the region and measures to […]
From September 22 to 25, 2026, Permanent Secretaries from the East African Community partner states are convening in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to tackle non-tariff barriers hindering trade and to devise strategies for expediting and economizing cross-border commerce. The meeting is scrutinizing obstacles related to goods movement across the region and exploring remedial actions.
Officials have reiterated their dedication to eliminating non-tariff barriers and lowering the expense of conducting business across borders. This assembly stems from directives issued by the 25th East African Community Heads of State Summit and also entails enhancing the execution of the Customs Union and Common Market. The EAC has affirmed the objective of hastening the removal of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), diminishing intra-EAC trade costs, and facilitating seamless goods movement across the region.
NTBs encompass administrative delays, disparities in standards, and restrictive procedures that can escalate the cost and duration of moving goods among member states. The permanent secretaries are anticipated to pinpoint practical measures to tackle these challenges and enhance goods movement across the region. The deliberations arise as the bloc endeavors to align national systems and regulations more closely.
Insurance regulators from six EAC countries convened in Nairobi on September 17 and agreed to harmonize insurance supervision. They intend to establish a regional platform for sharing market data and formulate a common framework for managing consumer complaints. Most of these measures are projected to be executed within a year. Business leaders have also been advocating for fewer impediments to conducting business across the bloc.
The East African Business Council convened business leaders at the East Africa CEO and Investment Forum in Nairobi, urging the region's market of over 300 million people to be regarded as a unified investment destination. Executive Director Ahmed Farah highlighted that the market's magnitude would only profit businesses if they could procure inputs across borders, have certifications acknowledged region-wide, and execute payments without incurring costly delays.
The East African Development Bank disbursed over $300 million to support businesses, including $88 million in 2026, and is calling for more private-sector initiatives eligible for co-financing. The pursuit of deeper integration has reignited discussions on free movement and the right of establishment within the region. The East Africa Law Society urged Kenya to ensure fair enforcement against foreign nationals operating small businesses, citing Kenya's commitment to the EAC Treaty and Common Market Protocol, which mandate free movement and the right of establishment along with non-discrimination.
The society also stressed that enforcement should consider individual circumstances and cautioned that reciprocal restrictions might undermine confidence in regional integration. The discussions on non-tariff barriers, insurance regulation, investment, and free movement coincide with the East African Community's efforts to fortify its common market's functionality.
The Permanent Secretaries are expected to leverage the Dar es Salaam meeting to identify measures that can convert regional agreements into fewer obstacles for businesses and traders operating across member states.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
