Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 9th October 2025 – Speaking during the Capacity Building Workshop on application of rules, regulations, and business concepts for export of services, organized by East African Business Council (EABC), in collaboration with East African Community (EAC) Secretariat and partnership with the European Union (EU) and GIZ, under the Leveraging Integration Frameworks for Trade in Services (LIFTED) Project, Mr. Sempeho Manongi Nyari, Director for Trade Development, Ministry of Trade and Industrial Development, underscored the vital role of the services sector in driving Tanzania’s economic growth and regional integration. He called for enhanced support to empower Tanzanian service providers to tap into regional and continental markets.
“The services sector plays an important role in Tanzania’s economy, driving growth, job creation, and innovation across multiple industries,” he said. “While our services exports continue to grow, their potential is still largely untapped. We must strengthen capacity, build strategic partnerships, and enhance competitiveness to position Tanzanian service providers more effectively in regional and global markets,” he added.
In his remarks, Mr. Deogratius Masawe, Acting CEO of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), urged Tanzanian entrepreneurs to embrace service export as a strategic growth path for both business expansion and national development.
“The growth of our economy depends on the ability of Tanzanian service providers to compete beyond our borders,” he said. “Exporting services in areas such as Tourism, ICT, logistics, and professional consulting is vital for job creation and GDP growth.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the Acting Executive Director of the East African Business Council (EABC), Ms. Hidaya Mkwizu, Trade Policy and Legal Affairs, emphasized the need for capacity building and partnerships to enhance private sector participation in services trade.
“Across the EAC, services contribute nearly 50% of GDP and over 40% of formal employment,” said Ms. Mkwizu. “Yet, many firms still face barriers such as regulatory bottlenecks, limited market information, and lack of export strategies.
This workshop is designed to equip participants with practical skills to navigate cross-border trade under the EAC and AfCFTA frameworks.”
She added that EABC, through its partnership with GIZ under the Lifted Project, continues to strengthen the capacity of service providers and Business Membership Organizations (BMOs), and to advocate for the harmonization of regulatory frameworks across the region.
Mr. Lamech Wesonga, Economic Policy Advisor on AfCFTA for EAC–GIZ, commended the collaboration between EABC in empowering service providers to compete regionally and globally. He highlighted that selected firms will receive one-on-one coaching on market access, regulatory frameworks, and export strategy development.
The training forms part of the Leveraging Integration Frameworks for Trade in Services (LIFTED) Project, which seeks to empower at least 200 export-ready companies across four EAC Partner States, equipping them with knowledge, skills, and networks to thrive in regional and global markets, including under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
All speakers underscored the need for stronger public–private collaboration and the harmonization of regional policies to boost the competitiveness of East Africa’s service providers.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Hidaya Mkwizu, on behalf of the East African Business Council (EABC), commended participants for their active engagement and reaffirmed EABC’s commitment to supporting the private sector through continuous capacity building and policy advocacy.
