On 5^th December 2023, KEPSA, in collaboration with the East African Business Council (EABC), held the National Workshop on East Africa Community (EAC) Export Procedures at a Nairobi Hotel. The event marked the beginning of a series of EAC exporter sensitization workshops strategically designed to provide comprehensive training on export procedures, with a specific focus on the agriculture sector. The objective of the workshop was to elevate the capacity and skills of Agri-actors on EAC export procedures to enhance the competitiveness of the agri-food industry and mitigate the impact of global crises on food security in the region.

Ms. Mbithe Yoma, the EABC Country Coordinator, representing EABC CEO Mr. John Bosco Kalisa, acknowledged the tremendous potential embedded within the agriculture sector in the EAC region and expressed gratitude to the participants for their keen interest in mastering export procedures, recognizing the catalytic role exports play in unlocking and fostering the regional economic growth. Ms. Mbithe emphasized the necessity of empowering traders with knowledge and skills to navigate cross-border complexities in the evolving EAC market. She concluded by highlighting the progress made towards the integration of customs regulations and trade facilitation mechanisms in the region.

The training highlighted the following key insights:

• The East African Community (EAC) currently comprises seven member states. It was noted that Somalia was recently admitted pending the signing of the Treaty of Accession. The EAC region, whose ultimate goal was the attainment of a political federation, was reported to have a combined GDP of $305.3 billion, with approximately 283.7 million citizens, of which over 30% is urban population.
• The community concluded the review of CET in 2022 and adopted a four-band structure: 0%, 10%, 25%, and 35% for select products in the agriculture value chain.
• Simplified Trade Regime (STR) was reported to have four main instruments, namely a simplified customs document, a simplified certificate of origin, a common list of eligible products, and a threshold for the value of the consignment under USD 2000. The STR platform, which was reported to be on constant review, was reported to accommodate maize, rice, potatoes, bananas, cassava, beans, vegetables, sugar, wheat, sorghum, millet, pulses
• The Info-Trade portal by KENTRADE was demonstrated to participants; the portal has a vast amount of information needed to facilitate export trade.
• Participants were notified of the existence of the mechanisms and platforms for the elimination of NTBs. Further, the Trade Information Portal (TIP) as a means of facilitating trade and increasing transparency was demonstrated.
• Challenges faced by traders were highlighted. These included intricate and cumbersome systems, slow clearance of goods at the border, ineffective data transmission, lack of harmonization on laws, and recurrent Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) from administrative processes.

The workshop concluded with a unified agreement on the need for further Public-Private dialogue to address the imminent challenges within cross-border trading and harness the many opportunities available for businesses within the EAC region. The collective commitment forged during the workshop set the stage for a collaborative effort to overcome challenges and stimulate economic growth through enhanced cross-border trade and regional cooperation.