- EABC Launches the EAC Trade and Investment Climate Report 2026 and the East Africa Investment Projects Catalogue during the East Africa CEO & Investment Forum 2026
Nairobi, Kenya | 17th September 2026: Senior government officials, business leaders, investors, development finance institutions and international partners at the inaugural East Africa CEO & Investment Forum 2026 in Nairobi have called for stronger implementation of regional integration commitments, improved investment conditions, deeper regional value chains and greater access to finance to translate East Africa’s economic potential into investment, trade and jobs.
The two-day Forum, taking place on 17–18 September 2026, aims to advance East Africa’s trade, investment and competitiveness agenda. The Forum is convened by the East African Business Council (EABC) together with the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat and the East African Development Bank (EADB), in partnership with GIZ, AGRA, African Development Bank (AfDB), Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA), Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, CRDB Bank, Safal Group, ISUZU East Africa and other strategic partners.
The EAC Trade and Investment Climate Report 2026 and the East Africa Investment Projects Catalogue were officially launched during the Forum, providing an evidence base for regional reforms and a pipeline of investment opportunities.
Speaking during the official opening, the Chief Guest, Hon. Beatrice Askul Moe, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of East African Community, ASALs and Regional Development, Republic of Kenya, emphasised the importance of translating regional integration commitments into predictable and competitive conditions for businesses and investors.
She highlighted the opportunities presented by the EAC Common Market and AfCFTA, while underscoring the need to address implementation challenges affecting businesses, including non-tariff barriers, tax-related constraints and delays in implementing agreed regional measures.
She explained the nexus between the digital economy, manufacturing, transport and logistics, and energy in strengthening regional value addition and employment.
In his speech, H.E. Amb. Stephen P. Mbundi, EAC Secretary General, said the EAC has recorded strong macroeconomic growth, averaging 5.3% over the past decade, but the region must now translate this growth into greater trade, investment and industrialisation. He noted that the EAC aims to increase intra-EAC trade from 22.8% to at least 50% over the next five years, requiring stronger implementation of regional integration commitments and a more predictable business environment.O
“We must move decisively from volumes to value. Manufactured goods account for less than 30% of EAC exports, while raw agricultural commodities continue to dominate our export basket. We need stronger regional value chains that enable Partner States to source, process and manufacture across borders, keeping more value within East Africa.”
Mbundi also highlighted persistent barriers to regional trade, noting that the EAC has resolved more than 300 non-tariff barriers since 2007, while challenges in infrastructure, transport and logistics, ICT and access to finance continue to affect competitiveness. He said addressing these constraints could boost trade competitiveness by 52% and increase trade by US$63.4 billion, while stronger services trade, youth skills and industrial finance would further support regional economic transformation.
Hon. Amb. Gamal Mohamed, Minister for Commerce and Industry of the Federal Republic of Somalia and Chair of the Inaugural HoAI Trade Ministers’ Meeting, emphasised the importance of connecting promising investment opportunities with capital, businesses and government facilitation.
He highlighted opportunities in the Federal Republic of Somalia in agriculture, fisheries, livestock, energy, minerals, ports and logistics, as well as the country’s strategic position linking East Africa with Gulf, Middle Eastern and Asian markets.
He also underscored the importance of efficient transport systems, regional payment mechanisms and predictable cross-border procedures in making integration meaningful for businesses.
In his speech, Hon. Manfred Pentz, Hessen State Minister for Federal, European and International Affairs and Bureaucracy Reduction, said the partnership between East Africa and Hessen presents opportunities to combine East Africa’s markets, talent and growth with Germany’s industrial expertise, research and capital.
“East Africa brings scale, talent, technology and strong growth, while Hessen brings industrial excellence, research, capital and access to the European market. This is a powerful combination. Together, we can turn innovation made in Africa and technology made in Germany into new opportunities for trade, investment and jobs.”
He added: “We want to reduce barriers between East Africa and Europe and bring our economies closer together. Economic cooperation becomes stronger when businesses can connect, invest, innovate and trade more easily.”
Mr. Jas Bedi, EABC Vice Chairperson, emphasised that East Africa should increasingly be viewed as one investment ecosystem rather than a collection of competing national markets.
He called for Partner States to leverage their respective comparative strengths to develop regional value chains and complementary production networks.
He also highlighted the importance of greater predictability in the regional trade framework, including the need for clarity around the Common External Tariff and stays of application, which can affect investment planning and regional sourcing decisions.
In his remarks, Mr. Ahmed Farah, Executive Director of the East African Business Council (EABC), said the real measure of regional integration is whether businesses can operate across borders more efficiently, predictably and at lower cost.
“The purpose of this Forum is to turn regional integration into engines of business growth and investment. East Africa has a large and growing market, but that market only matters if businesses can actually use it.”
Mr. Farah said EABC is working towards a borderless East Africa for trade and investment, with greater emphasis on evidence-led advocacy, regional value-chain development, trade facilitation and investment mobilisation.
He elaborated that East Africa Trade and Investment Climate Report 2026 provides a baseline for measuring progress in improving the regional business environment and serves as our scorecard.
Mr. Benard Paul Mono, Acting Director General of the East African Development Bank (EADB), stated:
“Without adequate capital, investment opportunities remain just opportunities. This is where EADB plays a critical role in turning viable opportunities into financed projects and productive investments.”
Mr. Mono said: “The true measure of this Forum will be the partnerships formed, the deals concluded, the projects financed and the jobs created. EADB is committed to ensuring that the opportunities emerging from this Forum translate into real investment and measurable outcomes through prudent and flexible financing.”
The high-level Fireside Chat on the Trade and Investment Landscape shared insights on the need to make the investor journey faster and more predictable, strengthen implementation of EAC integration commitments, and develop regional value chains by leveraging the complementary strengths of Partner States.
H.E. Andreas Peschke, Ambassador of the European Union to Kenya, highlighted the importance of regional integration, openness and investment in strengthening East Africa’s economic prospects.
He described East Africa as an important economic partner for Europe and stressed the role of private capital alongside public investment.
Peschke also pointed to the importance of predictable growth, efficient border procedures, recognised standards, open services markets and the digital economy in strengthening the investment environment.
Dr. Matthias Rompel, Director, Division East Africa and Horn of Africa, GIZ, said:“East Africa has the markets, the entrepreneurs, the young people and increasingly the infrastructure. The challenge now is to turn eight national markets into one genuinely integrated regional market.” He added: “The time to invest in a more integrated East African market is now.”
Discussions also focused on improving market access for Special Economic Zones, reducing border, licensing, standards and product registration bottlenecks, expanding SME access to finance and risk-sharing mechanisms, and improving project bankability and investor-financier linkages. Panelists emphasised that regional integration should be measured by tangible outcomes, including increased investment, trade, exports, business expansion and job creation.
The panelists were Mr. Deusdedit Hokororo representing the Director General of Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA); Mr. Jas Bedi, Vice Chairperson, EABC; Mr. John Mwendwa, Invest Kenya; Mr. George Kapanandze, Rendeavour Holding Ltd; Dr. Mohamed Ghedi Jumale, Premier Bank; and Ms. Marie Ange Mukagahima, Zima Healthy Group Ltd and EAWiT Champion. The panel examined how East Africa can convert its regional market into greater investment, stronger value chains, increased trade and job creation.
The Forum also witnessed the launch of the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO)–Hessen cooperation through the EAC AI Alliance, a partnership that connects East Africa’s AI ecosystem with Hessen, “Europe’s Silicon Valley,” to advance practical AI cooperation and unlock new opportunities in skills development, innovation and business.
Day One will als feature the Invest.EastAfrica! B2B matchmaking and sector discussions covering: Agribusiness and Agro-processing, Digital Economy, Telecommunications and FinTech, Manufacturing and Industrial Value Chains, Transport and Trade Logistics and Energy, Oil & Gas and Critical Raw Materials / Mining
Day Two will focus on moving from policy dialogue to Deal Room matchmaking, B2B and B2G engagements, investment partnerships, and the conversion of identified opportunities into concrete transactions and commitments.
