EAC: Introduction

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional economic community comprising eight member states with a combined 2023 GDP of US$296 billion. While the EAC has established a customs union, common market, and monetary union protocol, its ultimate goal of a political federation has seen progress stall, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and regional instability.

• The East African Community (EAC) consists of eight member states: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Somalia is the most recent addition, having deposited ratification instruments on 4 March 2024.
• As of 2023, the EAC has a population of 331 million and a combined GDP of US$296 billion. The region possesses significant mineral wealth, particularly untapped copper and cobalt in DR Congo, as well as natural gas and oil discoveries in Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya.
• The EAC has advanced regional integration through the creation of a customs union in 2005, a common market in 2010, and a monetary union protocol in 2013. However, progress toward a political federation has stalled, with the drafting of a constitution for the transitional political confederation only resuming in May 2023 after being interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Regional integration is further hindered by trade disputes that result in border closures and ongoing conflict and instability in the eastern part of DR Congo.

APA

McLachlan, D. T. (2026). EAC: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=EAC&topic=01-introduction

Chicago

McLachlan, Du Toit. EAC: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=EAC&topic=01-introduction.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=McLachlan |first1=Du Toit |title=EAC: Introduction |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=28 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=EAC&topic=01-introduction |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mclachlan2026eac, author = {McLachlan, Du Toit}, title = {{EAC: Introduction}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=EAC&topic=01-introduction}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }