EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

The East African Community (EAC) is a leading regional economic organization in sub-Saharan Africa. EAC member states include Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. The Standards Alliance is looking engage regionally, and has also received interest from individual members for country-specific activities.

• 
• 
• 
• 

1 2 3 4

Priority Sectors

Industries identified as priorities include the wine and spirits industry, information technology, and electronics. Additional sectors may be added based on interest from the private sector.

Relevant Agreements and Regional Organizations

• WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
• US-EAC Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)
• African Organization for Standards (ARSO)
• Common Market for Southern and Eastern Africa (COMESA)
• U.S.-Rwanda Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)

Additional information

KENYA

Kenya is one of the most developed countries in Africa experiencing an average annual GDP growth of 5.9% over the past 10 ten years. In 2015, Kenya’s GDP grew by 5.6%. U.S. exports to Kenya totaled $943 million in 2015, down 43 percent from 2014. The top U.S. exports to Kenya were aircraft, machinery, optic and medical instruments, electrical machinery, and cereals. U.S. imports to Kenya were $573 million in 2015, down 3.1 percent from 2014. Top U.S. imports were knit apparel; woven apparel; spices, coffee, and tea; and edible fruit and nuts. Kenya is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and also qualifies for textile and apparel benefits. The United States has signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the East African Community (EAC) in 2008 and a TIFA with the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 2001. Kenya is a member nation of both regional organizations.

RWANDA

Rwanda continued impressive growth in 2015, growing by 6.9 percent. In 2015, U.S. exports to Rwanda totaled $14.3 million, down 32% from 2014. The top U.S. exports to Rwanda included pharmaceutical products, machinery, optic and medical instruments, and electrical machinery. In 2015, imports from Rwanda were $45.6 million, decreasing 12% from 2014. The top U.S. imports from Rwanda were spices, coffee, and tea; lac and vegetable saps; ores, slag, and ash; other base metals; and straw, esparto (basketwork). Rwanda is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and also qualifies for textile and apparel benefits. The United States signed a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) that came into force in 2012. Negotiations on the BITA were launched as an outcome of the consultations under the 2006 U.S.–Rwanda Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The United States has also signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the East African Community (EAC) in 2008 and a TIFA with the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 2001. Rwanda is a member nation of both regional organizations.

TANZANIA

Tanzania’s economy has experienced impressive growth over the past three years. In 2015, Tanzania’s GDP grew by 7.0 percent continuing more than a decade of over 6 percent annual growth in GDP. U.S. goods exports to Tanzania totaled $173 million in 2015, down 43 percent from 2014. The top exports to Tanzania were aircraft, machinery, electrical machinery, pharmaceutical products, and miscellaneous textile articles. U.S. goods imports from Zambia totaled 105 million in 2015, increasing 22 percent from 2014. U.S. goods imports from Tanzania included spices, coffee, and tea; precious stones; knit apparel; lac and vegetable saps; and miscellaneous grain, seed, and fruit. Tanzania is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and also qualifies for textile and apparel benefits. The United States has also signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the East African Community (EAC) in 2008 and a TIFA with the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 2001. Tanzania is a member nation of both regional organizations.

UGANDA

Uganda’s economy grew by 5.0% in 2015. U.S. goods exports to Uganda totaled 88.3 million in 2015, increasing 13 percent from 2014. U.S. goods exports to Uganda included optic and medical instruments, machinery, aircraft, electrical machinery, and vehicles. U.S. goods imports from Uganda totaled $ 64.1 million in 2015, up 39 percent from 2014. The top imports from Uganda included spice, coffee, and tea; fish; and live trees. Uganda is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and also qualifies for textile and apparel benefits. The United States has also signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the East African Community (EAC) in 2008 and a TIFA with the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 2001. Uganda is a member nation of both regional organizations.

BURUNDI

Burundi’s GDP shrunk by 4.1 percent in 2015 due to political turmoil over President Nkurunziza’s controversial third term. Blocked transport routes disrupted the flow of agricultural goods. Despite negative growth in 2015, Burundi experienced an average of 4.5 percent growth in GDP from 2010 to 2014. U.S. goods exports to Burundi reached $5.7 million in 2015, up 1.8 percent from 2014. The top U.S. exports to Burundi were miscellaneous foods, machinery, ceramics, electrical machinery, and woven apparel. U.S. goods imports from Burundi totaled $8.4 million, up 91 percent from 2014. U.S. imports from Burundi were dominated by coffee, tea, and spices. The United States has signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the East African Community (EAC) in 2008 and a TIFA with the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in 2001. Burundi is a member nation of both regional organizations.