This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
On May 12, 2020, the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State and Government convened a virtual meeting to address the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on regional trade.
Chaired by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, the meeting brought together Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), and Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan) to discuss the implementation of measures to ensure uninterrupted cross-border movement of goods.
The leaders acknowledged the challenge posed by cross-border trade in the fight against Covid-19, particularly the emergence of truck drivers as a high-risk carrier population.
President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasized the need for collective EAC interventions against the pandemic, stating, "A unified stand is what we need to combat this pandemic in the region."
The Heads of State expressed satisfaction with measures taken so far by regional governments in managing Covid-19 and thanked the EAC Secretariat and the Council of Ministers for their efforts in minimizing the cross-border spread of the virus.
The leaders urged member states to prioritize local production of essential supplies needed to combat Covid-19 and encouraged EAC countries to invest more in agricultural production, agro-processing, and value addition.
They also recommended the establishment of special purpose financing schemes to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which they identified as the sector with the highest potential to cushion the region against adverse economic effects of the pandemic.
