EAC Secures €64 Million from Germany to Bolster Regional Integration

The East African Community (EAC) and Germany have reaffirmed their long-standing partnership with a EUR 64 million commitment to support key development priorities over the next three years. This was formalised during the EAC-German intergovernmental negotiations, where EAC Secretary General Veronica M. Nduva and Marcus von Essen, Head of the German Delegation, signed the agreement.

The negotiations coincided with the German-African Business Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, which hosted over 1,000 representatives from Germany and the East African private sector.

Breakdown of the EUR 64 million commitment

• Sustainable economic development: EUR 36 million will support regional economic integration, digital skills and AI research, female empowerment in health professional training, and trade infrastructure development.
• Pandemic preparedness and combating communicable diseases: EUR 23 million has been allocated to address health challenges, including infectious diseases like Mpox and Marburg Virus.
• Environmental conservation: EUR 5 million will strengthen the EAC’s management of nature-based solutions to combat the effects of climate change.

Essen lauded Nduva for the successful organisation of the recent EAC Heads of State Summit, which prioritised digital transformation and regional integration. Germany also praised the EAC for improving intra-regional trade and advancing its position within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

On her part, SG Nduva expressed gratitude to Germany for its sustained support, which has contributed over EUR 600 million in technical and financial assistance to the region over the past 26 years. She highlighted the impact of this cooperation on improving the lives of 320 million East Africans.

Strengthening health and climate resilience

Both parties emphasised the importance of pandemic prevention and rapid response, especially in light of recent health crises. They also committed to advancing regional climate resilience, focusing on integrated water resource management to mitigate the impact of floods and droughts on human development.

Germany further commended the EAC for its active participation at COP29, where the bloc presented a unified regional position on climate change.

This partnership reflects a shared vision to strengthen regional integration and improve the living conditions of East Africans through impactful projects in health, environment, and economic development.