Women traders lose out as EAC border trade rules remain unclear

The East African Business Council (EABC) is urging Tanzania and Burundi to publish a clear list of commonly traded goods under the EAC Simplified Trade Regime (STR), arguing that the lack of clarity is limiting cross-border trade and denying women and youth traders vital economic opportunities. During a public-private dialogue at the Kobero-Kabanga One Stop Border Post, EABC Trade and Policy Advisor Adrian Raphael Njau said limited awareness of trade procedures restricts small-scale traders from benefiting from the EAC Common Market. Bilateral trade between Tanzania and Burundi is estimated at over $62 million annually.