Regional integration: Ugandan business leaders urge EAC Partner States to end NTBs

KAMPALA, 21 August 2025 – The East African Business Council [EABC], in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda [PSFU] and the Uganda Manufacturers Association [UMA], recently convened the EABC CEOs – EAC Secretariat Consultative Meeting in Kampala, Uganda calling on Partner States to eliminate the non-tariff barriers [NTBs] that are slowing down trade within the economic bloc.

The two-day meeting brought together 55 representatives from Uganda’s public and private sectors to discuss solutions to barriers to trade and investment, aiming to increase uptake of regional integration opportunities.

Adrian Njau, Acting Executive Director of the EABC, underscored the urgency of deepening regional integration to meet the EAC’s intra-regional trade target of 40 percent by 2030.

He noted that intra-EAC trade expanded by 2.35 percent in 2024 to reach US$ 15.2 billion, yet it still accounts for only 10.8 percent of total trade.

He emphasised that achieving the 40 percent target by 2030 requires the private sector to lead a strong, evidence-based advocacy agenda and push for full implementation of EAC commitments.

Oscar Kamukama, EABC Governing Council Member, stated that Uganda is a cornerstone of the EAC regional agenda, with a robust trade surplus of USD 206 million with Partner States, GDP growth of 5.1 percent, and accounting for 39 percent of the region’s foreign direct investment [FDI] inflows.

He noted that the region must leverage opportunities in manufacturing, agro-processing, ICT, e-mobility, and mineral beneficiation while actively dismantling trade barriers.

EAC Deputy Secretary General, Annette Mutaawe Ssemuwemba, highlighted ongoing progress in regional integration, with statistics showing intra-EAC trade rising from US$ 3.4 billion in 2024 to US$ 5.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025.

She noted that reported NTBs had been reduced from 140 to around 20 and that the recent launch of the EAC Single Bond aims to simplify cargo movement and reduce related costs.

She emphasised the need for accelerated implementation of EAC commitments, stronger coordination among Partner States, and the establishment of a Presidential Investors’ Roundtable at the regional level to elevate private sector priorities to Heads of State.

Dr Julius Byaruhanga, Director of Policy Advocacy at PSFU, stressed the importance of a national private sector roadmap. He emphasised that advocacy must be deliberate and aligned with both national and regional strategies to competitively position Ugandan businesses in the EAC market.

Lamech Wesonga, Economic and Policy Advisor on the African Continental Free Trade Area [AfCFTA] for EAC-GIZ, reaffirmed GIZ’s commitment to partnering with the private sector to drive regional and continental integration.

EABC Chairperson, John Lual Akol, stressed the need to eliminate delays at border points, harmonise tax and trade regimes, and strengthen infrastructure to reduce the cost of doing business in the region.

Ambassador Aggrey Dhamuzungu, Uganda’s envoy to the Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC], reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening direct links between the private sector and diplomatic missions to enhance economic ties.

Discussions focused on agriculture, manufacturing, and services, including tourism, financial services, and logistics, while identifying key policy actions to unlock growth.

On his part, Sanjay Rughani, CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Uganda, called for the development of a regional digital financial strategy to enhance financial inclusion and cross-border transactions within the EAC.

Ronald Kyagulanyi, Coordinator for Research, Policy, and Economic Analysis at PSFU, outlined key tariff-related NTBs faced by Ugandan exporters to the EAC. These include inspection fees on wooden products, excise duties on eggs, fish, and ceramic tiles, unharmonised transit fees, and visa requirements imposed by the DRC and South Sudan.

Harriet Kiiza, Principal Tourism Officer and certified hotel assessor at Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, advocated for a common EAC grading system for tourism and hospitality establishments. She also called for adoption of the EAC Single Tourist Visa and full liberalisation of tourism services across the region.

Edward Ssekayiba, Head of Programmes and Partnerships at the Uganda Leather and Allied Industries Association, stressed the need for mutual recognition of standards for raw hides, wet blue, and finished leather, as well as for skills in leather processing, design, and technology.

Joan Asiimwe, Coordinator for Corporate Social Responsibility at the New Forest Company, recommended that the region adopt internationally recognised forestry standards, such as those of the Forest Stewardship Council [FSC], to distinguish sustainable from unsustainable forestry practices.

Victoria Ashabahebwa, Chairperson of the Uganda Tea Association, urged harmonisation of fees and charges on tea sold at the Mombasa Auction Mart to ensure fairness and competitiveness for Ugandan tea producers.

Prisca Beesigomwe, Head of Programmes and Operations at HortiFresh, and Dixon Kyaba Tukam, Executive Director of the Cashew Farmers and Promoters National Association of Uganda Ltd, jointly called for harmonisation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary [SPS] measures and clearance procedures for cashew nut seeds traded between EAC Partner States.

Lino Criel Icila, Secretary General of the Uganda Warehouse Receipt System Authority, highlighted the vital role of clearing and forwarding agents in trade facilitation. He recommended strict adherence to EAC integration protocols, introduction of weigh-in-motion systems, and harmonisation of taxes on imported trucks.

Simon Katembeko Kagumire, Principal Logistics Officer at the Ministry of Works and Transport, announced that the Ugandan Government has approved the gazettement and establishment of two additional One-Stop Border Posts [OSBPs] at Mulwadda and Buteba, intended to decongest the Malaba and Busia borders.

He also noted plans to construct 1,700 kilometres of standard gauge railway from Malaba to Kampala, with extensions to major industrial hubs.

Additionally, a trimodal port at Bukasa is being developed to connect cargo flows to Musoma and Mwanza in Tanzania and to Kisumu in Kenya. The East African Crude Oil Pipeline [EACOP], designed to transport oil from Uganda’s Lake Albert fields to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania, is expected to be completed by June 2026.

In his closing remarks, Bruce Mpamize, EABC Governing Council Member, called for the adoption of a unified regional economic mindset and the promotion of the Buy East Africa, Build East Africa campaign to better position the EAC bloc on the global stage.

The meeting outlined several key policy recommendations, including: Uniform application of the EAC Common External Tariff [2022]; elimination of non-tariff barriers; review of EAC Rules of Origin; free movement of workers; liberalisation of air transport and trade in services; harmonisation of domestic taxes; and utilisation of high-level platforms such as the Presidential Investors’ Roundtable to address business constraints.

The EAC comprises eight partner states: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. 

https://thecooperator.news/ntbs-and-national-protection-impeding-intra-eac-trade-says-official/

Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news