22nd August 2026, Bujumbura, Burundi: Officiating the East African Business Council (EABC)–African Development Bank (AfDB) Business Clinic on Market Access under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Ms. Linda Kaneza, EABC Board Director, stated that: “Industrialisation in the East African Community should be anchored in strong, integrated value chains and access to markets to offer businesses real commercial opportunities and create jobs for citizens.”
The EAC Industrialisation Strategy 2012–2032 aims to raise local value-added content of resource-based exports from an estimated 8.6% to 40% by 2032, and to increase intra-regional manufacturing exports relative to total manufactured imports from about 5% to 25% by 2032.
In 2025, Burundi’s exports of apparel and textile products to Africa were valued at USD 427,000 Rwanda exported USD 8.9 million to the continent.
For raw hides, skins and processed leather, Burundi exported USD 565,000 and Rwanda exported USD 1.5 million. For animal and vegetable fats and oils, Burundi’s amounted to USD 1.4 million and Rwanda USD 117 million, according to the International Trade Centre (ITC).
Over 100 enterprises in the textile, edible oil and leather sectors from Rwanda and Burundi were empowered with practical knowledge on market intelligence tools to identify and access new potential markets across the continent.
The enterprises discussed AfCFTA market opportunities, Rules of Origin, tariff concessions, customs procedures and export requirements, alongside one-on-one advisory support on market entry strategies and export readiness to expand into African markets.
The textile, leather and edible oil enterprises recommended safeguard measures to protect local industries from second-hand clothing and imports from outside the region, as well as measures to reduce the cost of doing business, including lower electricity costs and improved access to finance.
Representing Mr. Ahmed Farah, EABC Executive Director, Mr. Adrian R. Njau, EABC Trade and Policy Advisor, stated that EABC will undertake growth diagnostic studies to inform policies aimed at improving sustainable and inclusive industrialization and addressing issues affecting industries.
As the onboarding agent for the Afreximbank Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), EABC supported the enterprises in joining the Afreximbank’s Africa Trade Gateway Platform, enabling them to access business-to-business matchmaking opportunities and trade finance solutions to facilitate trade under the AfCFTA.
The AfCFTA Business Clinics were organised by the East African Business Council (EABC) with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA), under the project “Accelerating Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialization in the East African Community (EAC).”
