Bujumbura, Burundi | 4 September 2026: The East African Business Council (EABC), in collaboration with the Federal Burundi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CFCIB), convened the EABC CEO -Trade & Investment Roundtable in Bujumbura, Burundi, bringing together government officials, CEOs, business association leaders and development partners to identify and prioritize practical solutions to trade barriers affecting extra and intra-EAC trade and investment.
The Roundtable, held as part of EABC’s national engagements provided an opportunity for Burundi’s private sector to contribute to national consultations ahead of the East Africa CEO & Investment Forum 2026, scheduled for 17–18 September 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Speaking during the official opening, Mr. Severin Mbarubukeye, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation of the Republic of Burundi reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening public-private dialogue, removing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), improving the business environment and deepening regional value chains.
He emphasized that stronger private-sector participation in the integration process is essential in translating EAC integration commitments into tangible economic opportunities.
“The private sector is not just a stakeholder it is the engine of our economy, and your voice must be at the centre of our policymaking processes.” He said.
Mr. Mbarubukeye further called on businesses to look beyond Burundi’s borders and position the EAC as their home market, while investing in innovation, skills development, digital transformation and quality standards to enhance regional and global competitiveness.
Dr. Alice Irakoze, Director of Registration at the Burundi Development Agency (ADB), commended EABC and CFCIB for organizing such important dialogue which bring together private and public sector to discuss trade and investment.
She noted that while progress has been made in facilitating the movement of goods, services and capital within the region, intra-EAC trade and investment remain below their potential due to NTBs,regulatory differences, poor infrastructure, logistics gaps, limited access to finance and insufficient market information.
She identified agriculture and agro-processing, livestock, mining, energy, infrastructure, tourism, ICT, manufacturing and services as sectors offering significant investment opportunities in Burundi.
The Secretary General of CFCIB, Eng. Dennis Nshirimana, called for stronger regional cooperation and practical solutions to challenges affecting businesses across the EAC.
“Challenges will exist, but what is important is how to find appropriate solutions to identified challenges.”
Eng. Nshirimana commended the leadership of EABC for efforts to strengthen regional business cooperation and encouraged Burundian companies to participate in the upcoming East Africa CEO & Investment Forum in Nairobi.
Mr. Ahmed Farah, EABC Executive Director thanked the Government of Burundi and CFCIB for hosting the Roundtable and acknowledged the support of the EAC Secretariat, East African Development Bank and GIZ in making sure the Roundtables happened across all EAC Partner States.
Mr. Farah insisted that competitiveness to businesses implies the ability of businesses to operate efficiently, supported by reliable electricity, shorter transit times, access to foreign exchange and credit, quality suppliers and faster regulatory approvals.
He linked Burundi’s development ambitions under Vision 2040 to the need for immediate economic transformation, noting the importance of reducing dependence on a narrow export base.
He called for increased productivity by creating more value from every hectare, kilowatt, route and franc through higher agricultural yields, reliable energy, efficient logistics and productive SME financing.
Mr. Farah further called for stronger private-sector coordination, improved value-chain linkages and clearer government actions to reduce uncertainty through stable rules, predictable customs and approval procedures, and transparent access to foreign exchange.
He also expressed solidarity with traders affected by recent fires in central Bujumbura, including those at Ndayizamba, Le Parisien shopping malls and Kinindo Market.
Hon. Oliver Suguru, EABC Vice Chair, emphasized that the Roundtable seeks to identify and remove barriers limiting businesses from benefiting fully from EAC integration and AfCFTA opportunities. He called for stronger public-private dialogue, effective implementation and monitoring of regional commitments, removal of NTBs, faster adoption of pending trade and investment instruments, development of regional value chains, harmonisation of standards and taxes, compliance with the CET, liberalisation of air transport and trade in services, and full implementation of the One Network Area.
He noted that despite the 7 March 2026 EAC Summit directive to resolve NTBs by 30 June 2026, several barriers persist or have re-emerged, highlighting the need for stronger monitoring and accountability.
Ms. Flavian Businge, EAC Secretariat Director of Customs and Trade, underscored the importance of enabling Africa to understand, anticipate and effectively respond to emerging economic and trade challenges.
She called for stronger local ownership of regional integration efforts, emphasizing that communities must remain at the centre of development and that information should be communicated in languages that communities can understand.
She also highlighted the need for continued government engagement and for the work of CEOs and private-sector leaders to be better integrated into national systems and policies.
The Roundtable concluded with panel discussions bringing together representatives from key private-sector organisations, including the Manufacturers Association (AIB), Bankers Association, ABEF, Tourism Association, HTB, Traders Association, ACOBU and the Service Providers Chamber.
The discussions provided an opportunity for businesses across different sectors to share practical experiences and identify specific challenges affecting trade, investment, production, logistics, financing and access to regional markets.
Participants called for continued collaboration among governments, private-sector organisations and business leaders to transform identified challenges into practical, measurable and implementable solutions.
The recommendations from the engagement will contribute to the broader private-sector agenda and discussions at the East Africa CEO & Investment Forum 2026, which will bring together East African businesses, investors, policymakers and international stakeholders in Nairobi on 17–18 September 2026.
