EAC Inaugurates three working groups to advance regional cross-border payment system
KAMPALA, August 26, 2026 — The East African Community [EAC] has inaugurated three Technical Working Groups [TWGs] to provide technical guidance and support the implementation of the EAC Cross-Border Payment System Masterplan.
The inauguration took place during the first joint meeting of the TWGs held in Mombasa, Kenya, from August 18-22, 2026. The meeting brought together representatives from the central banks of all EAC Partner States, the EAC Secretariat and development partners, including the World Bank, GIZ, FSD Network and TradeMark Africa.
Chaired by the Bank of Uganda, with the National Bank of Rwanda serving as rapporteur, the meeting marked a significant transition from the planning phase to the implementation of the Masterplan. The Masterplan provides a coordinated roadmap towards an integrated, secure, efficient, affordable and inclusive regional cross-border payments ecosystem.
The Masterplan is anchored on four key pillars: Governance, Legal, Regulatory and Oversight; Infrastructure; Inclusivity; and Capacity Building. These comprise 20 strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening cross-border payment systems across the EAC region.
During the five-day meeting, the TWGs considered three foundational working documents to guide implementation of the Masterplan. These included the Monitoring and Reporting Framework, which establishes results chains, SMART indicators, baselines and targets for the 20 strategic initiatives, and aligns them with the G20 targets for enhancing cross-border payments.
The TWGs also reviewed the proposed Regional Cooperative Oversight Framework for cross-border payment systems. The framework will provide guidance on home and host supervisory responsibilities, information sharing, crisis management and dispute resolution.
The third document was the Mutual Recognition Framework for payment service providers, which proposes a regional passporting mechanism to enable appropriately licensed payment service providers in one EAC Partner State to offer authorised services across the region, subject to applicable requirements.
Speaking on behalf of the EAC Secretariat, EAC Senior Statistician, Samuel Njuru reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to working closely with Partner States, development partners and other stakeholders to accelerate implementation of the regional cross-border payments integration agenda.
“Stronger and more integrated cross-border payment systems are critical to facilitating intra-regional trade, expanding access to financial services and advancing the broader EAC regional integration agenda,” said Njuru.
The meeting further underscored the importance of strengthening coordination with the Monetary Affairs Committee Sub-Committees and other relevant regional structures to ensure complementarity, avoid duplication of efforts and enhance the effective implementation of the Masterplan.
The inauguration of the TWGs represents an important step towards translating the EAC Cross-Border Payment System Masterplan into concrete actions that will contribute to a more connected, efficient and inclusive regional digital financial ecosystem.
The EAC Secretariat and Partner States, with support from development partners, will continue to advance implementation of the Masterplan through coordinated policy, regulatory, infrastructure and capacity-building interventions.
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