Publication: Options for Strengthening East African Community's Trade Integration
Date
2007-09
ISSN
Published
2007-09
Author(s)
World Bank
Abstract
The treaty for the establishment of the
East African Community (EAC) was signed in November 1999 by
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The treaty, which entered into
force in June 2000, aims a comprehensive integration process
comprising of trade, economic, and political integration.
The ultimate objective is to establish a political
federation in 2015 through a progression of trading and
economic arrangements (customs union, common market, and
monetary union) as well as host of joint projects to develop
regional infrastructure, manage regional commons, and
produce regional public goods. Given the small size and the
low income level of the member countries, aiming for a
comprehensive integration is the right strategy, which will
enable them to pull their resources together, broaden their
markets, harmonize their policies, and enhance their
competitiveness collectively to be able to expand their
productive capacity and regional and global trade to
accelerate growth. Burundi and Rwanda were accepted a new
members of the EAC in November 2006. Their membership is
expected to be effective in the second half of 2007. This
report suggests a list of core priority areas and recommends
broad direction of reforms. Its analysis and recommendations
will serve as a useful contribution to the ongoing
negotiations among the member states for an EAC common
market as well as to efforts to harmonize programs between
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA),
South African Development Community (SADC), and EAC.
Citation
“World Bank. 2007. Options for Strengthening East African Community's Trade Integration. © Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/b55ea063-e4f4-5da2-9c60-3303ebb77cd4 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”