January 18, 2025

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Plans to review East African Community treaty underway

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Plans are underway to review the East African Community treaty to boost intra-regional trade by addressing issues that have emerged after expansion of the bloc from the original three members to the current six.  

The review team that will consist of five members from each of the six EAC member states would target to address tariff and non-tariff barriers that have emerged and those anticipated.

The Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community was signed in Arusha on 30th November 1999 and came into force on 7th July 2000 following the conclusion of the process of its ratification and deposit of the Instruments of Ratification with the Secretary-General by all the three Partner States. 

Two decades later, there is a push to review the treaty to address emerging issues such as delays in law and policy harmonization by member states. 

Plans are underway to set up a technical steering committee consisting of 30 top businesses with operations in the East African Community and EAC Council members to fast track implementation of the blocs’ trade policies. 

In addition, plans to review the common external tariff launched in 2017 would be complete by the end of this year, paving the way for the adoption of harmonized custom policies to foster more regional trade.