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Delegates pose for a group photo during the Armed Forces Command Post Exercise of the East African Community EAC in Jinja, Uganda (Nov 2019)
Image: Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua/imago images

East African Community (EAC)

The East African Community (EAC) aims to improve the lives of the people living in its eight partner states (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda).

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All Content on this topic

DW AfricaLink

Closed for business: Should Kenya respond to Tanzania's ban?

Is there a brewing trade rift between Kenya and Tanzania? DW's Eddy Micah Jr. seeks to find out in this podcast.
TradeAugust 7, 202526:00 min
At a press conference in Nairobi on June 2, Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire and Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi spoke of torture and rape by Tanzanian security forces

Tanzania's crackdown on activists tests East African bonds

Opposition activists from Kenya allege that they were detained and tortured in neighboring Tanzania.
PoliticsJune 7, 2025
DW AfricaLink

Why Africa's regional blocs are failing to resolve crises

Eddy Micah Jr. talks to security analyst Fidel Amakye Owusu and DW correspondent Privilege Musvanhiri in Zimbabwe.
ConflictsFebruary 7, 202525:18 min
DW AfricaLink Logo

What challenges does the East African Community face?

DW’s Josey Mahachi speaks to Ivan Mugisha a social and political commentator and DW correspondent James Shimanyula.
PoliticsDecember 4, 202426:23 min
A group of people in a building waving to a crowd

DRC: Tough road to second term for Felix Tshisekedi

Tshisekedi won 73.34% of the vote in the disputed presidential race, according to provisional election results.
PoliticsJanuary 2, 2024
A woman stands in a greenhouse in the middle of pink roses

Kenya-EU trade deal on track?

Kenya and the European Union have signed a trade agreement allowing Kenya to export goods duty free to the EU market.
TradeDecember 18, 2023
Uganda Yoweri Museveni Präsident

AfricaLink on Air — 06 November 2023

Uganda plans terminate fuel imports deals with Kenya+++Germany's Scholz wants to expand migration centres in Nigeria
PoliticsNovember 6, 202329:59 min
A truck carrying Congolese soldiers

DRC: Way to peace fraught with strife

Regional powers are doubling down on efforts to solve the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
ConflictsNovember 22, 2022
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Direktor WHO

AfricaLink on Air – 15 May 2020

Africans livid over WHO study that projects 231M infections +++ Children's plight in Cameroon's Anglophone conflict
May 15, 202029:59 min
Kenia Währung Schilling Geldscheine

Smoking out the dirty money in Kenya

Kenyans are scrambling to replace the country's highest-value bank note before it becomes obsolete on October 1.
PoliticsSeptember 29, 2019
Trucks queue at Katuna on the border between Rwanda and Uganda

Rwanda and Uganda – neighbors at loggerheads

For a week, trucks and traders have been stuck at border posts between Rwanda and Uganda.
BusinessMarch 6, 2019

East African Community unity hangs in the balance

Eric Mwine-Mugaju
Stalled launch of regional e-passport highlights strained ties within the EAC.
PoliticsDecember 24, 2018
Uganda Kampala

Politics interfering with trade in East African Community

Political disputes thwart East Africa's bid to improve trade.
BusinessSeptember 12, 2018
Second-hand textiles bundled up in a warehouse (photo: picture-alliance/dpa/Soex Group)

Trump vs. Rwanda in war over used clothes

East African countries wanted to ban the import of secondhand clothes, Trump said no. But Rwanda won't give in.
BusinessJune 5, 2018
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD)

German foreign minister makes first visit to Africa

The German foreign minister wants to maintain the dialogue with Africa as he visits Ethiopia and Tanzania this week.
PoliticsMay 2, 2018
Owino second hand clothes market in Uganda

East Africa pushes second-hand clothing ban

Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda plan to ban all imports of second-hand clothing. But the US has threatened consequences.
BusinessFebruary 26, 2018
East African Community Gipfel Tansania Arusha

Meeting: East African Community

EAC members work towards common development goals. And they’re wary of a deal with the EU.
BusinessOctober 10, 201602:07 min
Tansania John Magufuli

East African states delay signing of EU trade deal

Leaders of the East African Community have postponed the signing of economic partnership agreements with the EU.
September 8, 2016
Uganda's President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (front L3), Rwanda's President Paul Kagame (R3), Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta (R2) and the host Tanzania's President John Magufuli (C) attend the 17th EAC Heads of State Summit in Tanzania's northern city of Arusha, March 2, 2016 Photo by: Xinhua

EAC's vision of a single currency

The East African Community (EAC) is now successfully asserting itself as a regional trading bloc.
April 12, 2016
Symbol-Icon als Anklick-Button für die AfricaLink Webseite

AfricaLink on Air - 3 March 2016: 0705 UTC

South Sudan admitted to EAC+++Besigye supporters call for audit+++Child malnutrition in Nigerian IDP camps
March 3, 2016

AfricaLink on Air - 3 March 2016: 0405 UTC

EAC leaders refuse Burundi chairmanship +++ Uganda bars Besigye from challenging election +++ Nigerian IDPs
March 3, 2016
East African Community Gipfel Tansania Arusha

EAC admits South Sudan and snubs Burundi

South Sudan is the newest member of the East African Community. Tanzania will chair the group for a second year.
March 2, 2016
Demonstrators protest against President Nkurunziza's bid for a third term

Burundi elections

Burundi's elections have increased the risk of civil war in the country, writes Andrea Schmidt.
July 8, 2015

AfricaLink on Air - 12 June 2015

W. African discuss new Boko Haram strategies +++ EAC countries unveil 2015 budgets +++ Cameroon shuts down media
June 12, 2015
Burundi Krisengipfel

Burundi government open to election delay

Burundi's government is considering the East African leaders' proposal the country should postpone elections.
June 1, 2015
Protesters in Bujumbura with a banner saying 'no to Nkurunza's third bid'

Burundi crisis 'has regional implications'

After a failed coup in Burundi, street protests are growing again
May 19, 2015
Burundi

Burundi summit in Tanzania

African leaders hope to broker a deal to end weeks of protest in Burundi over the president's bid for a third term.
May 13, 2015
Pierre Nkurunziza, Präsident von Burundi

Nkurunziza says just one more

Burundi's president has vowed not to seek a fourth term if he wins a controversial election in June.
May 6, 2015

AfricaLink on Air - 19 February 2015: 0505 UTC

Gambia celebrates 50 years of independence+++Nigerian military says it has killed more than 300 Boko Haram fighters
February 19, 2015
Bildergalerie Ruanda Kontraste

Rwandan worries about jobs and foreigners

Rwanda is facing an influx of nationals from other EAC countries raising concerns about jobs
December 5, 2014
Tansania Budget

Tanzania budget

Tanzania pledges to tighen public expenditure and close tax loop holes
June 13, 2014

Africalink on Air - 28 August 2013

Human Rights Watch lambasts Tanzania for not stopping child labor in goldmines +++ Mass failure by applicants for university entrance in Liberia +++ Mombasa hosts a conference on improving regional infrastructure
August 28, 2013

Africalink on Air - 28 August 2013

Human Rights Watch lambasts Tanzania for not stopping child labor in goldmines +++ Mass failure by applicants for university entrance in Liberia +++ Mombasa hosts a conference on improving regional infrastructure
August 28, 201324:59 min
A boy enters an house with various campaign posters at the Kangemi slum in Kenya's capital Nairobi February 28, 2013. Kenya will hold its presidential and parliamentary elections on March 4.(Photo: Siegfried Modola/Reuters)

East African fears

Unrest in Kenya could disrupt trade ties with neighboring countries
March 1, 2013