The East African Community convened the 48th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) from 29th May to 4th June 2026 in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania. The meeting, chaired by Mrs. Edith N. Mwanje, Minister of East African Community Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, brought together delegates from all EAC Partner States to deliberate on a wide-ranging agenda covering customs, trade, investment, standards, and competition matters.

The Council opened by reviewing the implementation status of directives from the 47th SCTIFI. Of 75 directives, 34 (45.3%) had been fully implemented, 25 (33.3%) remained ongoing, and 15 (20%) were yet to be implemented. Recognising the need for a more reliable tracking system, the Council directed the Secretariat to analyse the relevance of all directives from the 1st to the 48th SCTIFI and convene a virtual experts meeting to update the compendium by 30th September 2026.

Significant progress was recorded on the customs front. The EAC Customs Bond, piloted in Uganda in August 2025 and officially launched at the 25th Ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State in March 2026, is now fully operational in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, with operationalization underway in Tanzania and Kenya. The Council directed Partner States to complete all technical and administrative preparations for the transit regime under the Single Customs Territory by 30th September 2026.

On cargo scanning, the restoration of scanner image transmission between the Kenya Revenue Authority and the Uganda Revenue Authority was noted with satisfaction, while Rwanda confirmed readiness to join the regional framework following successful end-to-end integration testing. The Council directed the Secretariat to mobilise resources for the development of a regionally tailored Artificial Intelligence model for Scanner Image Analysis and Comparison.

The Council also adopted a framework for monitoring the implementation of the Protocol on the Establishment of the EAC Customs Union and directed the Secretariat to digitize the framework for timely updating and information sharing by 30th August 2026.

The Council reaffirmed the directive of the 25th Summit that all outstanding Non-Tariff Barriers be resolved by 30th June 2026. Of the 28 NTBs currently outstanding, the United Republic of Tanzania accounts for the highest number at 11, followed by Kenya with 5. The Council adopted a Draft Action Plan for resolving issues affecting intra-EAC trade and directed the convening of a multi-sectoral meeting to monitor implementation by October 2026.

In a notable development in external trade relations, the Council decided to proceed directly to negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with Pakistan, bypassing the earlier proposed Joint Trade Committee. The Secretariat was directed to develop a zero-draft text of the FTA agreement by September 2026. The Council also directed the Secretariat to engage the European Union on re-opening negotiations of the EAC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement by 30th June 2026.

The Council took note of Uganda's hosting of the upcoming EAC-EU Trade, Competitiveness and Investment Summit scheduled for February 2027, an event expected to generate a pipeline of investment opportunities and strengthen EU-EAC trade and value chain partnerships. Partner States were urged to submit bankable projects to the Secretariat by September 2026.

On industry, the Council adopted the report on EAC Partner States' readiness to comply with international certification requirements for exports of fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and established the Terms of Reference for the EAC Jumuiya Nuts Forum, recognising the nuts sector as a high-value priority for regional growth.

The East African Standards Committee presented 90 Final Draft East African Standards and 46 international standards, all of which were declared and endorsed by the Council. The Council also directed the EAC Competition Authority to initiate a review of the EAC Competition Act, 2006 to align it with emerging market dynamics and international best practices.

As the EAC deepens its integration agenda, the outcomes of the 48th SCTIFI reflect a Community steadily advancing on multiple fronts, tightening its customs architecture, broadening its trade partnerships, and building the institutional foundations for a more prosperous and connected East Africa.