The East African Business Council (EABC) is the apex body of business associations of the Private Sector and Corporates from the 5 East African Countries. It was established in 1997 to foster the interests of the Private Sector in the integration process of the East African Community. Originally comprising members from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, its membership was expanded after 2007 to include private sector from Burundi and Rwanda.
Currently, EABC has 54 Associations and 102 corporate Members. Amongst the associations are all the national Private Sector Apex Bodies; four manufacturers’ Associations; 5 Chambers of Commerce, 3 Employer Associations; 2 Women Associations, 2 Bankers Associations and the Confederation of Informal Sector Associations of East Africa. Given that the Secretariat is based in Arusha, EABC’s structure includes National Focal Points (NFPs) – who are all currently the national private sector apex bodies.
EABC’s overarching objective is to be an effective change agent for fostering an enabling business environment and to promote private sector’s regional and global competitiveness in trade and investment. EABC therefore provides a regional platform through which the business community can present their concerns at the EAC policy level, with the overall aim of creating a more conducive business environment through targeted policy reforms. Additionally, EABC also work towards promoting private sector’s regional & global competitiveness in trade and Investment through addressing challenges experienced by Members at organizational and firm level; and through provision of tailored market intelligence.
EABC’s key stakeholders are primarily the EAC Secretariat, the Business Community as represented through Members and their affiliates, National Policy Makers, EAC organs and institutions and other key national and regional organizations working towards enhancing private sector participation in the EAC and global integration. EABC has an “Observer Status” at the EAC, which enables us to attend and participate in all relevant EAC activities and deliberations, not only at the Secretariat but also in other organs and institutions.
Their Vision
EABC is the dynamic apex body of the private sector in the East African Community, in fostering sustained economic growth and prosperity in the region.
Their Mission
Their mission is to represent and promote the interests of the EAC business community; provide value added services that create new business opportunities, enhance global competitiveness of EAC businesses, and actively influence government policies to improve the enabling business environment
Their VALUES
In all its operations, EABC is guided by the following principles, which shape the internal culture:
1. Integrity
They value upright behavior and operate with transparency and lack of ambiguity. Their actions are clear, consistent, honest and truthful.
2. Accountability
They are accountable to their members and stakeholders. They manage their resources responsibly and use them efficiently to provide value for money. They commit to being held responsible for all their actions and track all they do with appropriate documentation.
3. Balanced
They value fair balance and seek to arrive at win-win positions that are fair to all parties involved. They are non-partisan and are not influenced by political or national agendas. Rather, they are guided by their vision of fostering sustained economic growth and prosperity in the region and by their mission to the EAC business community.
4. Innovation
They value the creation of new solutions to existing and new challenges. They are dedicated to creating new policy advocacy approaches and place a premium on designing innovative solutions for the EAC business community. Innovative solutions are celebrated.
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