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East Africa is setting its sights on becoming Africa’s premier trade and investment destination as regional leaders and private sector players prepare for the East African Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2026.

Organised by the East African Business Council (EABC) in partnership with the East African Community (EAC), the summit will be held under the theme:

“Promoting Private Sector Driven Regional Integration for Increased Intra and Extra EAC Trade and Investment.”

The event will convene senior policymakers, business executives, and investors from across the region and beyond to strengthen commercial ties and shape the region’s economic agenda.

The 2026 summit comes at a time of major continental and global shifts. Progress in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Tripartite Free Trade Area Agreement is expanding market access and deepening regional integration. At the same time, global trends such as climate change, shifting supply chains, and de-globalization pressures are influencing how and where businesses invest.

Against this backdrop, the summit aims to position the East African Community as a competitive and resilient trade and investment hub. Discussions will build on resolutions from the previous summit held in Kampala in 2023, focusing on reducing barriers to intra- and extra-EAC trade while unlocking new opportunities across key sectors.

A key feature of the summit will be a CEOs Industry Roundtable with Ministers responsible for Trade in Services and Manufacturing, designed to enable direct engagement between policymakers and private sector leaders. The outcomes of the discussions will be presented by the EABC Chairperson to the EAC Council of Ministers for endorsement, ensuring that business priorities inform regional policy decisions.

The summit is expected to catalyse practical action toward stronger regional integration, increased investment flows, and a more dynamic East African economy.

Credit: East African Business Council (EABC) & East African Community (EAC)

27. January 2026/ Urge- DeveWire

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