ISDS Case Map
EAC
The pursuit of a new trade pact between Washington and Kenya is eliciting old fears on whether it could hurt adherence to obligations under the East African Community, and hence continental ambitions for more commerce.
The UK has demanded that Kenya abide by the provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreement and that its exports to Kenya be exempted from the newly raised East African Community tax charges.
The ECT Secretariat, whose survival depends on continuation of the treaty, continues to lobby these countries to take additional steps towards acceding to the Energy Charter Treaty.
The EAC-COMESA-SADC Tripartite FTA agreement has a total of 29 member countries representing 53% of the AU membership and more than 60% of the Africa Continent GDP ($1.88 Trillion) with a population of over 800 million people.
The East African Community (EAC) partner states have been challenged to increase their volume of transactions under regional and international trade agreements.
Currently, trade between partners is at 20 percent, lower than the expectations of leaders at the time of the launch. EAC members are trading more with countries outside the bloc than partner states..
The draft ministerial regulation states that goods produced in SEZs shall be treated as originating goods provided they satisfy the rules of origin, member states are yet to agree on import duties being paid on the inputs of these products.
“Kenya will incur the largest loss at $14.2 million, followed by Uganda at $13.5 million. Tanzania is estimated to register revenue loss of $5.3million, Burundi $4.3million and Rwanda $ 3.9,” the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC)shows.
Six countries drawn from three regional economic blocs are yet to ratify the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), delaying its implementation more than a year after it was formally launched in January 2021
The East African Community (EAC) is developing a strategy to boost trade-in-services, which will position the bloc better in the negotiations of service liberalisation at the continental level.
