East Africa Community Member Countries and Objectives

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organization that brings together six member countries. These countries are Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan.

Each member country has a unique culture and history, but they share a common goal of economic integration and cooperation. The EAC aims to create a single market for goods and services, making it easier for businesses to operate across borders.

The EAC has several key objectives, including promoting peace and security, developing infrastructure, and enhancing regional trade. By achieving these objectives, the EAC hopes to improve the lives of its citizens and promote economic growth in the region.

The East African Community (EAC) has a rich and complex history that spans several decades. It was originally founded in 1967 by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

The EAC collapsed in 1977 due to disagreements between the countries, but it was revived on July 7th, 2000. Burundi and Rwanda joined the EAC in 2007, marking a significant expansion of the community.

In 2010, the EAC launched its own common market for goods, labor, and capital within the region, with the goal of creating a common currency and eventually a full political federation. This move aimed to increase economic cooperation and integration among member states.

The EAC has made significant progress in recent years, signing the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) Agreement in 2015. This agreement aimed to enhance trade and economic cooperation among member states and with other regional organizations.

Here are the key milestones in the EAC's history:

The East African Community (EAC) has a well-defined structure, which is comprised of seven EAC Organs. These Organs perform the functions of the community.

The EAC has eight current Heads of Institutions, each responsible for a specific area. Vivienne Yeda Apopo is the acting Director-General of East African Economic Development, a position she has held since 2009.

The community also has the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), which is the legislative arm of the EAC. EALA has 27 members who are elected by the National Assemblies or Parliaments of the member states.

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The Coordination Committee plays a crucial role in the East African Community (EAC) structure. It consists of the Permanent Secretaries of EAC affairs in each member state, along with any other Permanent Secretaries as determined by the member state.

The committee meets at least twice a year before the Council's meetings, ensuring that all necessary discussions take place beforehand. This regular meeting schedule allows the committee to effectively implement the Council's directives.

The Coordination Committee is responsible for implementing the directives decided by the Council, making it a key enforcer of EAC policies. It also recommends the creation of Sectoral Committees to the Council, further expanding the EAC's scope of work.

The current acting Principal Secretary of the Coordinating Committee is Dr. Kevit Desai of Kenya, who oversees the committee's activities.

The East African Community has a robust structure with various institutions playing crucial roles in its functioning. The EAC has eight current Heads of EAC Institutions.

The Director-General of East African Economic Development is currently held by Vivienne Yeda Apopo of Zambia, a position she has held since 2009. Dr. Novat Twungubumwe of Burundi serves as the acting Attorney General and Executive Secretary East African Health Research Commission.

Dr. Sylvance Okeyo Okoth is the Executive Secretary of the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO). Dr. Caroline Asiimwe of Uganda is the serving Executive Secretary of the East African Kiswahili Commission. Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona of Uganda is the serving Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa.

Eng. Richard Gatete of Rwanda is the serving executive director of the Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency. Lilian K. Mukoronia of Kenya is the acting Registrar of the East African Community Competition Authority. Dr. Masinde K. Bwire is the serving Executive Secretary of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission.

Here is a list of the current Heads of EAC Institutions:

The East African Community (EAC) is made up of six member countries. The EAC members are the Republic of Burundi, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania.

These countries have been working together to strengthen regional integration and economic growth. The EAC aims to create a single market for its member states, making it easier for businesses to trade and invest across the region.

Here is a list of the current EAC member countries:

Note that Ethiopia and Somalia are in the process of joining the EAC, with Ethiopia's admission in the final stages of negotiation and Somalia officially becoming the eighth member of the bloc in December 2023.

Comoros is being considered for membership in the East African Community (EAC). Kenyan President William Ruto proposed the idea in July 2023.

Comoros has a maritime border with Tanzania, an existing EAC member. This shared border could simplify the process of integration.

The EAC's Secretary General, Peter Mathuki, envisions a market of 800 million people, which would be possible if all countries in the horn of Africa, including Comoros, were to join and integrate into one huge market.

Ethiopia is a country that's been considering joining the East African Community (EAC). Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta proposed expanding the EAC to include Ethiopia, which would bring the population to approximately 460 million.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia has expressed his commitment to regional integration, stating that the east African people are one people and economic integration is a key goal for the region.

In April 2023, Secretary General Peter Mathuki suggested that the EAC should consider admitting Ethiopia following Somalia's accession. This suggests that Ethiopia is being considered for membership, but the process is still in its early stages.

However, Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nebiu Tedla later contradicted this by saying that Ethiopia had made no request to join the EAC, describing the information as "baseless".

Malawi was considered for membership in the EAC, with Tanzanian officials expressing interest in 2010. Etta Banda, Malawian Foreign Affairs Minister at the time, stated that there were no formal negotiations taking place.

Somalia is a country in East Africa that has been embroiled in a civil war for years. As of July 2024, the main insurgent group, Al-Shabaab, is still active and has allied with other rebel groups.

The civil war in Somalia has been ongoing since 2007, with troops from several neighboring countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi, and Djibouti, fighting against Al-Shabaab.

Al-Shabaab has also created a sect of foreign fighters called the Muhajirin, which includes nationals from several countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda.

In 2024, Al-Shabaab recaptured much of the land captured by the retreating African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

The federal government in Somalia controls only around ten percent of its internationally-recognized territory as of May 2024, with most of the country operating independently.

Somalia has recently joined the East African Community (EAC) as its eighth member, following a formal invitation in November 2023.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) joined the East African Community (EAC) on 29 March 2022, after the EAC Council of Ministers recommended its admission in February 2022.

The DRC's accession gives the EAC its first port on the West African coast, expanding the community's reach and economic opportunities.

The EAC Summit launched a verification mission in June 2021 to assess the DRC's suitability for membership, and the report was submitted to the EAC Council of Ministers in November 2021.

The DRC officially became a member of the EAC on 11 July 2022, after depositing the instrument of ratification with the EAC Secretary General at the bloc's headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The accession of the DRC is a significant step towards the EAC's vision of creating a market of 800 million people, as hinted by Secretary General Peter Mathuki in 2023.

The East African Community (EAC) has faced several challenges and tensions over the years. One of the main challenges is the issue of trade liberalization, which has been slow to implement.

The EAC has been working to implement a common market by 2024, but progress has been hindered by differences in trade policies among member states.

The EAC has also struggled with issues of customs and taxation, with some member states imposing high tariffs on imported goods. This has led to trade imbalances and frustrated business owners.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the East African Community (EAC) have had their fair share of tensions. The DRC's decision to postpone its accession to the EAC has been a major point of contention.

Tensions between the DRC and the EAC have been heightened due to the DRC's concerns about the EAC's expansion and its potential impact on the country's sovereignty. The DRC has also been critical of the EAC's decision-making process, which it believes is dominated by a few member states.

The DRC has been hesitant to join the EAC due to its own regional ambitions, which include the creation of a regional economic community, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). This has led to suspicions that the DRC is trying to create a rival bloc to the EAC.

Despite these tensions, the DRC has continued to participate in EAC activities, including the EAC's regional trade agreements. However, its participation has been limited by its own economic constraints and lack of infrastructure development.

The East African Community (EAC) faces significant challenges due to the differences in modes of governance among its member states. These differences are exemplified by the single-party dominance in the Tanzanian and Ugandan parliaments, which is unattractive to Kenyans.

Kenya's ethnic-politics, on the other hand, remains absent in Tanzania. This highlights the unique political cultures of each country, with Rwanda having a distinctive political elite committed to building a developmental state.

The appointment of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit as the EAC chairperson in November 2023 was criticized by regional observers, including Duop Chak Wuol, who accused the bloc of ignoring Kiir's tyranny.

The Common Market is a key aspect of the East Africa Community (EAC), aiming to create a single market for goods and services across the region. By reducing or eliminating tariffs, the EAC is working to make it easier for businesses to trade across borders.

One-stop border posts are being introduced to simplify the process of importing and exporting goods. However, informal trade across borders, which is often important to rural livelihoods, is unlikely to be significantly impacted by the customs union.

The introduction of a common market will create both winners and losers in the border areas. Winners will include numerous food producers and consumers on both sides of the borders, while losers will include smugglers and customs officials who currently benefit from bribery.

The EAC's common market has already led to increased trade in goods and services, with service provision to Kenyans and Tanzanians becoming important for Uganda in education and health. Kenya exports financial services, for example, via the Kenya Commercial Bank.

Here are some key statistics on the EAC's common market:

The DRC's accession into the EAC has also led to new trade routes, with Congolese in Kisangani and Goma receiving goods through ports in Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. This has streamlined cargo documentation and hastened the rate at which goods are cleared through the Port of Mombassa.

Kenya has historically been the leader in intraregional trade, but for the first time in 2024, Tanzania overtook Kenya's position, leading regional trade.

Uganda hopes integration will help support its tourism potential through integration with established regional circuits. This is a promising development for the tourism industry in the region.

Kenyan firms have successfully adapted to the lower protection afforded by the EAC CET, with some even relocating to Tanzania or Uganda. This shows that businesses in the region are becoming more adaptable and open to new opportunities.

An intraregional division of labour is developing, with basic import-processing relocating to the coast to supply the hinterland. This is creating new opportunities for businesses in the region to specialize and grow.

Trade in goods and services has already increased, with service provision to Kenyans and Tanzanians being important for Uganda, particularly in education and health.

The East African Community (EAC) is home to a diverse population of over 343 million people, with the majority being under the age of 30. This youth bulge is expected to grow to 75% of the population under the age of 25 by 2030.

The EAC's constituent states have varying population growth rates, with South Sudan experiencing the highest annual growth rate of 4.65%. In contrast, Rwanda has a relatively low annual growth rate of 1.62%.

The EAC's population is predominantly youthful, with 65% of the population under the age of 30. The region's population is projected to continue growing, with an average annual growth rate of 2.83%.

Here are the population statistics for each EAC constituent state:

The East African Community (EAC) is a region with a diverse population. The total population of the EAC is approximately 343 million people.

Breaking down the population by country, we see some interesting trends. The Democratic Republic of Congo has the largest population, with over 115 million people, accounting for 33.6% of the total population.

Here's a breakdown of the population by country:

The population of the EAC is projected to grow, with an annual growth rate of 2.83%. The total fertility rate (TFR) is 4.8 children per woman, indicating a relatively high birth rate.

The East African Community (EAC) is a diverse region with a rich linguistic heritage. English is the official language of the EAC.

Kiswahili was designated as the lingua franca of the community in 2000, but its status has been complemented by the addition of French in 2021. France is financing a project to elevate French to an official language of the EAC, alongside English.

Numerous local languages are also spoken within the EAC. For example, there are 56 local languages spoken in Uganda, 125 in Tanzania, 72 in South Sudan, and 67 local languages in Kenya.

Kinyarwanda is spoken in Rwanda and Uganda, while Lingala is widely spoken in the western Democratic Republic of Congo, with around 15 million speakers. Kiswahili has around 23 million speakers across the country.

Here's a breakdown of the local languages spoken in some EAC member states:

The East Africa Community (EAC) has a clear vision for its future, and it's centered around becoming a prosperous, competitive, secure, stable, and politically united East Africa. This is the vision that guides the community's decision-making and actions.

The EAC's mission is to widen and deepen economic, political, social, and cultural integration in East Africa. By doing so, it aims to improve the quality of life of its people through increased competitiveness, value-added production, trade, and investments.

At the core of the EAC are six core beliefs and values that drive its actions: Professionalism;Accountability;Transparency;Teamwork;Unity in Diversity; andAllegiance to EAC Ideals

The EAC has already made progress in improving the institutional and legal framework conditions for regional and continental trade. This is a significant step towards achieving its long-term goals.

The EAC's current objective is to progress to an East African Federation. This involves encouraging the progress of the East African Customs Union and the establishment and implementation of the Common Market and East African Monetary Union Protocols.