Germany commits Euro 64 Million to support EAC in creating impacts for East Africans
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 5th December, 2024: On 2nd December 2024, the East African Community (EAC) and the Federal Republic of Germany reaffirmed their long-standing cooperation as EAC Secretary General, Hon. Veronica M. Nduva, and Mr. Marcus von Essen, the Head of the German Delegation and Director for East Africa in the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) signed the summary record of the EAC-German intergovernmental negotiations following fruitful discussions between both parties on priorities for development cooperation in the upcoming years.
The signing took place on the sidelines of the German-African Business Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, which brought together more than 1,000 representatives from Germany and the private sector in East Africa.
As a result of the successful negotiations, Germany committed EUR 64 million for extending the partnership in the jointly agreed areas of cooperation in the next three years.
In the area of sustainable economic development, training and employment, EUR 36 million was committed to further support regional economic integration, digital skills and AI research, strengthened regionalisation and female empowerment in health professional trainings as well as trade infrastructure development. EUR 23 million was committed to upscale support to pandemic preparedness and combatting communicable diseases. To strengthen environmental conservation, EUR 5 million was committed to enhance EAC’s management of nature-based solutions.
Mr. von Essen hailed Hon. Nduva on the successful organisation of the recent EAC Heads of States Summit which aimed to accelerate regional integration through digital transformation. Furthermore, the German side congratulated the EAC for improvement of intra-regional trade and furthering of EAC position as a bloc within the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Regarding the role of the private sector and civil society in regional integration, Mr. von Essen welcomed the invitation of the EAC Secretariat to the SG’s Forum describing it as a tool for engagement as foreseen in the EAC Consultative Dialogue Framework in December 2024.
On her side, the Secretary General expressed her appreciation to the German government for its continued support to regional integration in East Africa, which has led to technical and financial support of more than EUR 600 million over the last 26 years. SG Nduva said that the cooperation had created various impacts for 320 million East African citizens in the areas of cooperation.
In view of the regional outbreaks of infectious diseases in the last two years and current outbreaks of Mpox and Marburg Virus with devastating effects on health, livelihoods and intra-regional trade, both sides emphasised the importance of strengthening regional capacities in the health sector. Against this background, EAC and Germany reaffirmed their collaboration in pandemic prevention and rapid response.
Following on EAC’s successful participation in the UN Climate Change Conference, the German side congratulated the EAC on establishing a regional position at COP29. As flooding and droughts are hampering human development in the region both sides emphasised that cooperation for integrated water resource management will remain a key area of support.
The variety of joint EAC-German projects displays the broad spectrum of the longstanding cooperation between the EAC and Germany. The overall goal is to improve the living conditions of EAC Citizens.
Notes to Editors:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation comprising eight Partner States: the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Federal Republic of Somalia. The EAC promotes sustainable development and regional integration across sectors such as trade, infrastructure, and health.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) steers and finances Germany’s development efforts in collaboration with global partners in civil society, the private sector, multilateral organisations, bilateral partner countries, and regional economic communities. Since 1999, Germany has committed over 600 million Euros in development cooperation with the EAC, supporting the community's integration agenda.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka
Senior Public Relations OfficerCorporate Communications and Public Affairs DepartmentEAC SecretariatArusha, TanzaniaTel: +255 768 552087Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of eight (8) Partner States, comprising the Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The Federal Republic of Somalia was admitted into the EAC bloc by the Summit of EAC Heads of State on 24th November, 2023 and became a full member on 4th March, 2024.