Business 19 March 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda and Tanzania Race to Eliminate Trade Barriers by June 2026
The East African Community has set a June 30, 2026 deadline for Uganda and Tanzania to remove all non-tariff barriers stifling trade. Lifting these obstacles promises lower costs, enhanced competitiveness, and broader markets for producers in both nations. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/editorial/time-to-open-up-trade-in-east-africa-5396508
The East African Community (EAC) has issued a strict deadline of June 30, 2026, for Uganda and Tanzania to dismantle all non-tariff barriers (NTBs) hampering their trade relations.
For years, bureaucracy, regulatory inconsistencies, and border delays have hindered the free flow of goods between the two neighbors, contradicting the EAC’s core principles of regional integration established since the 1999 treaty.
Trade remains heavily skewed, with Tanzania exporting goods worth Shs10 trillion to Uganda in 2025, compared to Uganda’s mere Shs1.1 trillion to Tanzania. Disputes over charges on items like sugar, milk, steel, and electric poles, plus unpredictable NTBs, have driven up costs and fueled informal trade.
Recent bilateral discussions in Kampala and Dar es Salaam show fresh resolve to address these issues. Clearing NTBs would reduce expenses, improve market access, and support infrastructure projects linking the economies.
Small traders, farmers, and manufacturers—such as those shipping maize or steel across the Mutukula border—stand to gain the most from seamless crossings and faster logistics.
Success will be judged not by agreements, but by efficient truck movements and thriving businesses. Other EAC members should follow suit to foster true regional trade.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)