By Business Insider Reporter
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has completed a high-level mission to assess the performance of its East Africa Regional Integration Strategy Paper (EA-RISP 2023–2027), evaluating progress in driving cross-border infrastructure, trade facilitation, and industrial value chains across the region.
The mission, led by Bubacarr Sankareh, the Bank’s East Africa Lead Operations Advisor, engaged regional blocs and business leaders to review the performance of 107 ongoing multinational projects worth US$6.3 billion.
The review also aimed to identify policy and investment priorities to accelerate economic integration and competitiveness.
Meetings were held with the African Union Commission, UNECA, the East African Community (EAC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and key private-sector actors, including the East African Business Council (EABC) and the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“The overarching challenge for the region remains the slow pace of structural transformation, which limits trade, job creation and inclusive growth,” Sankareh said. “The RISP was designed to address these gaps by improving regional infrastructure and developing cross-border value chains.”
Driving integration through infrastructure
The current strategy, aligned with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy and the AU’s Agenda 2063, prioritises two pillars which are enhancing regional infrastructure – particularly in energy, transport, and ICT connectivity and developing regional value chains to promote intra-African trade and industrial diversification.
Among flagship projects enabled under the RISP are:
- Phase One of the Tanzania–Burundi–DRC Standard Gauge Railway, a key transport corridor expected to boost regional logistics and mineral exports.
- The Burundi–Rwanda Integrated Development Project, improving border infrastructure and cross-border trade facilitation.
- The Comoros Maritime Corridor and Trade Facilitation Project, which strengthens maritime connectivity and regional commerce.
In addition to hard infrastructure, the AfDB has funded technical assistance and policy dialogues, enabling harmonisation of trade regulations, investment incentives, and customs procedures – critical to making the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) work effectively in East Africa.
Integration key to cost reduction and competitiveness
Speaking during the consultations, EABC Acting CEO Adrian Njau applauded the Bank’s contribution to improving energy and transport interconnectivity.
“These projects have significantly reduced the cost of doing business and boosted the competitiveness of East African products,” Njau said. “Private sector growth depends on efficient infrastructure, and the AfDB has been instrumental in delivering it.”
According to the AfDB, as of June 2025, multinational operations accounted for 36.6 percent of its East Africa commitments. Since 2023, the regional portfolio has expanded by US$1.3 billion, largely driven by investments in transport, energy, social, and environmental projects.
Shaping the next phase of regional growth
The review mission also focused on extracting lessons learned and setting priorities for the final two years of the EA-RISP. The delegation included Eva Ruganzu, East Africa Implementation Support Division Manager; Samuel Kamara, Chief Regional Program Coordinator; Patrick Kanyimbo, Chief Regional Integration Coordinator; and Emmanuel Nyirinkwaya, Regional Fragility and Resilience Officer.
The Independent Evaluation Department is concurrently conducting case studies to assess project impact and inform future regional frameworks.
A convergence of policy, finance, opportunity
Analysts note that the mission comes at a pivotal time as East Africa navigates post-pandemic recovery, climate resilience, and debt sustainability. With regional trade projected to grow under AfCFTA, the AfDB’s role in financing logistics corridors, energy interconnections, and industrial clusters remains vital.
For Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and neighbouring economies, the outcomes of the review could shape investment priorities in transport, power transmission, and regional manufacturing, areas that directly influence private-sector expansion and investor confidence. As Sankareh summarised, “Integration is not just about building roads or power lines; it’s about unlocking markets, reducing business costs, and ensuring that East Africa competes globally as one economic bloc.”
