Dear Business Leader/Partner
2026 is theFoundation Year for the East African Business Council (EABC). It is a year to rebuild confidence, reset delivery, and reposition EABC as the credible regional voice of business in East Africa.
Our direction is clear. EABC will connect private sector priorities to regional policy action through structured engagement with the EAC Secretariat and relevant national policy bodies that opens commercial opportunities in intra and extra EAC trade and investment. We will also deliver practical programmes and partnerships that help firms compete, comply, and grow across the EAC, Africa, and global markets.
We recognize that as business leaders and development partners you expect more than engagement. You expect results, accountability, and measurable impact. In 2026, we are organising EABC around a disciplined system for follow through, visibility, and outcomes.
What will be different
- Clear issue intake and tracking: priority issues are logged, owned, progressed, and closed with evidence.
- Structured public private dialogue: engagements with the EAC Secretariat and relevant national policy bodies are designed to produce actions, deadlines, and implementation follow up.
- Regular member intelligence and updates: briefings, bulletins, and scorecards that show progress and next steps.
- Stronger governance and stewardship: transparent oversight that signals seriousness to members and partners.
- A stronger delivery platform for partners: practical co-delivery with national reach through country networks.
Our promise
For members
Count on us to move faster on the priority barriers that affect your business by strengthening policy follow-through and clear escalation, to provide predictable account care through disciplined renewals, collections, and service standards, and to deliver practical value you can use through market intelligence, clinics, convenings, and CEO-level platforms that open access and opportunity.
For the EAC Secretariat and national policy bodies
Count on us to provide well-evidenced private sector priorities, to engage early and respectfully, and to support implementation follow up through clear action trackers, timely feedback, and practical solutions that work on the ground.
For development partners
Count on us to provide a credible regional platform that is grounded in real private sector demand and country realities, to run delivery with clear plans, measurable results, and reliable reporting that supports learning and scale, and to make partnership outcomes visible through EABC channels, platforms, and member-facing communications.
Selected 2026 engagements and opportunities
The calendar below highlights key engagements for 2026. We will circulate this pipeline of activities throughout the year, sharing updated dates, invitations, and registration details as each engagement is confirmed. These platforms are designed to generate policy movement, practical support to firms, and visible outcomes.
| No. | Event | Location | Date |
| 1 | Webinar on the Trade Facilitation Manual for Cereals and Horticulture focusing on the EAC Simplified Trade Regime | Virtual | 12 March 2026 |
| 2 | Case Study and Baseline Survey on EAC Simplified Trade Regime | Kobero-Kabanga OSBP; Gatuna-Katuna OSBP; Namanga OSBP; Taveta-Holili OSBP | 16 March 2026 |
| 3 | Guided Trade Initiative for Exporting Textiles, Edible Oils, and Leather from the EAC to TFTA and AfCFTA Markets | Open to all EAC companies | March to April 2026 |
| 4 | 4th Kenya International Investment Conference | Nairobi, Kenya | 25 to 27 March 2026 |
| 5 | AfCFTA Business Clinics and Training focusing on Textile, Edible Oil and Leather Value Chains | Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda | April 2026 |
| 6 | EABC CEOs Roundtable on East Africa Economic Outlook 2026 | Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia | April to July 2026 |
| 7 | Public Private Dialogue on Non Tariff Barriers for Youth Cross Border Traders in Cereals and Horticulture | Nimule-Elegu OSBP; Gatuna-Katuna OSBP; Kobero-Kabanga OSBP | April to June 2026 |
| 8 | Coaching Workshops on Export of Trade in Services | Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda | April to May 2026 |
| 9 | Capacity Building on Export of Trade in Services | Kampala, Uganda; Nairobi, Kenya; Kigali, Rwanda; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | April 2026 |
| 10 | EAC Pre Budget 2026 to 2027 Webinar | Virtual | 28 May 2026 |
| 11 | EAC Post Budget 2026 to 2027 Webinar | Virtual | 17 July 2026 |
| 12 | Public Private Dialogue on Trade in Services for Service Sectors and Regulators | Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda | August 2026 |
| 13 | Global East African Manufacturing and Investment Summit | To be confirmed | August 2026 |
| 14 | EABC Circular Economy Platform Study and Consultations | Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda | August to December 2026 |
As Executive Director, I am committed to direct engagement, disciplined follow up, and clear communication on progress. We will engage constructively with the EAC Secretariat, Partner State institutions, and regulators to help close agreed actions and strengthen implementation. EABC will be measured by what we close, what we deliver, and what our members and partners can point to as tangible results.
Membership support contacts
For membership enquiries, onboarding support, and member account care, please reach out to the contacts below.
| Name | Country | |
| Mbithe Yoma | Kenya and Somalia | mbithey@eabc-online.com |
| Hidaya Mkwizu | Tanzania | hmkwizu@eabc-online.com |
| Mediatrice Nizigiyimana | Burundi and DRC | mnizigiyimana@eabc-online.com |
| Audrey Nshimwe | Rwanda | anishimwe@eabc-online.com |
| Emmanuel Busuulwa | Uganda | ebusuulwa@eabc-online.com |
| William Deng | South Sudan | wdeng@eabc-online.com |
Sincerely,
Ahmed Farah | Executive Director | East African Business Council (EABC)
Ninth Floor, Mafao House | Old Moshi Road | Arusha | Tanzania
P. O. Box 2617 | Tel: +255 27 2520162/3
Email: director@eabc-online.com | afarah@eabc-online.com IWebsite: www.eabc-online.com
EABC – The Voice of the Private Sector in East Africa
