Leaders of the East African Community (EAC) have agreed on five priority actions to reduce trade barriers and boost commerce within the region, following a high-level dialogue held in Kigali on Thursday, February 19.

The Multi-Sectoral High-Level Dialogue, held under the theme "From commitment to action: scaling up regional competitiveness to unlock trade and prosperity in EAC,” brought together policymakers, private sector representatives and regional experts to address long-standing bottlenecks to intra-regional trade.

ALSO READ: EAC ministers, businesses call for 40% increase in regional trade

According to Veronica Nduva, trade among EAC partner states has expanded steadily over the past decade, rising from $6.42 billion in 2016 to $15.25 billion in 2024, an average annual growth rate of about 11–12 per cent.

However, she noted that intra-regional trade still accounts for only around 12 per cent of total exports, up slightly from 11.5 per cent in 2016, underscoring the region’s continued dependence on external markets.

"This meeting is about solutions,” Nduva said. "What concrete actions can we take back to the Heads of State to show that progress is being made?”

Removing non-tariff barriers

Usta Kayitesi, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said non-tariff barriers (NTBs) remain a major drag on trade within the bloc.

"Despite existing mechanisms to identify and resolve NTBs, they continue to disrupt the free movement of goods and services,” she said.

ALSO READ: What will it take to eliminate barriers in intra-EAC regional trade?

Kayitesi stressed that eliminating these barriers will require stronger coordination among institutions, greater accountability, and renewed commitment to the principles of trust and cooperation that underpin regional integration.

Closing infrastructure gaps

Infrastructure weaknesses were highlighted as another key constraint. Only 36 per cent of roads across the EAC are paved, making transport slow and expensive.

Transport costs in the region range between $0.17 and $0.25 per tonne-kilometre, nearly three times the average in developing countries.

"Reliable transport networks, efficient trade corridors and better multimodal connectivity are essential to reducing transaction costs,” Kayitesi said, calling for continued investment in roads, railways, ports and inland logistics, guided by coordinated regional planning.

Harnessing digital trade

Digitalisation was also identified as a critical driver of trade integration.

"Digital trade solutions and aligned regulations can simplify cross-border payments, improve transparency and reduce border delays,” Kayitesi said, adding that predictable and harmonised regulatory frameworks are vital to attracting investment and creating a seamless regional market.

Easing labour and professional mobility

Dennis Karera, Vice Chairman of the East African Business Council (EABC), pointed to persistent barriers to labour and services mobility, despite commitments under the Common Market Protocol.

"Mutual recognition of professionals has largely failed,” he said, citing restrictions facing lawyers, architects, engineers and insurance companies across borders.

ALSO READ: Private sector key in financing trade infrastructure in Africa - Experts

"Doctors trained in the same medical schools cannot freely practice in neighbouring countries, even though the skills and needs are the same,” Karera added, urging the bloc to replicate Rwanda’s bilateral agreements to allow professionals and services to move more freely.

Making integration inclusive

Beatrice Askul Moe, Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, said regional integration must deliver tangible benefits, particularly for women, youth and small businesses engaged in cross-border trade.

ALSO READ: EABC advocates for harmonized trade negotiations with third parties

"Citizens judge integration not by declarations, but by lived experience, the time it takes to clear goods at borders, the cost of transport, the ease of moving for work and business, and the predictability of regulations,” she said.

She called for policies that ensure integration efforts translate into real gains for ordinary traders and workers across the region.