DAR ES SALAAM, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a seamless regional integration process, after Tanzania recently issued a ban on foreigners operating small businesses.
According to a statement signed by EAC Secretary General Veronica Nduva, member states are bound by the EAC Common Market Protocol, which promotes the free movement of goods, services, and people across the region.
"Member states must refrain from reversing or restricting sectors and trades they have previously liberalized," the statement stressed, referencing Annex V of the EAC Common Market Schedule of Commitment on the Progressive Liberalization of Services.
The EAC urged all members to uphold their treaty obligations to preserve the integrity of the regional single market.
Tanzania's directive, Business Licensing (Prohibition of Business Activities for Non-Citizens) Order, 2025, was officially published on Monday under Government Notice No. 487A.
Signed by Tanzanian Minister of Industry and Trade Selemani Jafo, the order bars non-citizens from participating in 15 business sectors considered crucial to grassroots economic empowerment.
These sectors, traditionally dominated by Tanzanians, are seen as key drivers of local employment and income generation.
The EAC, comprising Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, aims to foster political, economic, and social integration across East Africa. Enditem
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