The East African Community (EAC) is accelerating efforts to strengthen the region’s role as a hub for trade, investment, and economic growth.

The Germany–East African Business and Investment Forum 2026 took place in Frankfurt, Germany, bringing together over 60 East African businesses and more than 350 German companies to strengthen trade and investment partnerships between East Africa and Germany.

Led by EAC Deputy Secretary General Aguerariik and EABC Vice Chairperson Jaswinder Bedi, the Forum resulted in five new business collaborations with major European firms such as Bayer, Melitta, OFI, and Bosch, spanning digitization, artificial intelligence, agribusiness, coffee and cashew processing, entrepreneurship, and venture building.

German partners, including the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and the German-African Business Association, highlighted East Africa’s growing appeal as an investment destination due to its large market, macroeconomic stability, policy reforms, and expanding private-sector opportunities.

The Forum also advanced regional initiatives in agribusiness, pharmaceuticals, AI, carbon credits, logistics, tourism, startup scaling, and AI capacity building across EAC Partner States, reinforcing stronger trade and investment linkages