Kenya's Ruto credits Museveni, Moi and Mkapa for reviving EAC trade bloc

_________________

President William Ruto of the Republic of Kenya has credited President Yoweri Museveni and former Presidents Daniel Arap Moi (Kenya) and Benjamin Mkapa (Tanzania) for reviving the East African Community (EAC).

Speaking during a tour of exhibitions at the 25th EAC MSMEs Trade Fair at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi on November 11, Ruto said the leaders’ foresight had strengthened the region’s economic integration.

Ugandan chees on display. (Courtesy)

Ugandan products on display at the ongoing expo in Nairobi Kenya. (Courtesy)

"We pay tribute to the three distinguished patriots of our region who, 25 years ago in Arusha, reinvigorated the East African Community through the signing of its founding treaty. Alongside this historic milestone, the Jua Kali Nguvu Kazi Exhibition was launched," he said.

Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi (C) celebrates with counterparts, Uganda's Yoweri Museveni (L) and Tanzania's Benjamin Mkapa, November 30, 1999, after signing a framework accord setting up the East African Community (EAC) in the Sheikh Abeid Amri stadium in the northern Tanzanian town. (AFP)

"Their excellencies resolved then that this exhibition would be held annually on a rotational basis. To deepen social economic integration, expand market access for all our products, and narrow technological and knowledge disparities," he added.

Ruto noted that, “A quarter century later, today the EAC has blossomed into a powerful block of eight partner states, representing rapidly emerging markets.”

He also shared his impressions after visiting the stalls at the exhibition, saying, "I have gone through the stalls and spoken to many entrepreneurs here and the excitement, the optimism that I saw in their enterprises and the partnerships that are being established and the friendship that is building within them is a great encouragement that it was right 25 years ago, it is right today."

According to information shared by Uganda’s High Commission in Nairobi, a total of 360 Ugandan businesses are participating in the fair, showcasing products such as bee products, dairy, textiles, herbals, and cosmetics.

Additional information from the EAC Secretariat indicates that total trade increased by 28.4% to $38.2 billion, up from $29.7 billion during the same quarter in 2024. The performance was driven largely by exports, which surged by 40.5% to $18.6 billion, reflecting rising global demand for EAC products.

Trade with other African countries expanded by 42.9% to $9.3 billion, accounting for 24.5% of total trade, while intra-EAC trade grew by 24.5% to $4.6 billion, representing 12.1% of total trade.

Exports were sustained by strong demand from China, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Hong Kong and Singapore, which together absorbed 62.8% of total exports, up from 40.1% a year earlier.

Malaysia and South Africa registered the highest quarter-on-quarter growth. The top five export commodities were copper, precious stones and metals, coffee and tea, mineral fuels, and ores, which accounted for 79.6% of total exports, compared to 77.2% in the second quarter of 2024, highlighting the region’s growing specialisation in high-value goods.