Arusha. East African Community (EAC) Finance Ministers have reached a significant agreement to develop a list of goods that will benefit from tax and duty exemptions.
This move is a direct implementation of the bloc’s cooperation protocol, aimed at stimulating trade and investment within the community.
The agreement was announced by Tanzania’s Minister for Finance, Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba (MP), who led the Tanzanian delegation at the First Extraordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers Responsible for Finance and Economic Affairs (SCFEA) of the EAC on July 25, 2025.
The pivotal meeting took place at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha.
This decisive step follows directives from the 46th meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers of Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) and the resolutions made by Finance Ministers during their budget consultations in May 2025.
Dr Nchemba stated that the meeting thoroughly discussed, among other issues, fiscal measures within member states’ financial laws that have discriminatory effects on goods produced within the EAC. The ministers are committed to addressing these disparities to foster a more integrated and equitable market.
The meeting saw participation from delegates representing both Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.
Notable attendees included the Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Exaud Kigahe, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation (responsible for East African affairs), Dennis Londo, and the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Ms. Amina Khamis Shaaban.
This breakthrough is expected to significantly boost intra-EAC trade, paving the way for a more robust and interconnected East African economy.
