By Nyang’au Araka
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and the Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) have signed a partnership to promote gender-responsive trade policies across East Africa.
The agreement seeks to strengthen women’s economic empowerment, support cross-border traders and advance inclusive regional integration within the East African Community (EAC).
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The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in Arusha, Tanzania, establishes a framework for collaboration on trade policy, research, legislative oversight and advocacy to support women traders and promote inclusive regional integration.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 2nd EAC Women’s Intergenerational Dialogue and is intended to help translate commitments made under the recently adopted Arusha Statement on Women’s Leadership into practical action.
The partnership is informed by findings from oversight missions conducted by the EALA Women’s Caucus at key border points including Gatuna/Katuna, Kamvira/Gatumba, Nimule/Elegu and Namanga, where women traders reported challenges ranging from non-tariff barriers and administrative hurdles to safety concerns and limited access to trade information.
Under the agreement, EALA and SEATINI will work together to strengthen the role of women legislators in shaping regional policies, improve oversight of EAC programmes from a gender perspective and promote inclusive laws on trade, investment, climate change and sustainable development.
The MoU also seeks to amplify the voices of women, youth and marginalised groups in regional integration processes while supporting women engaged in informal and cross-border trade.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, EALA Speaker Joseph Ntakirutimana said the partnership would strengthen efforts to make regional integration more responsive to the needs of East Africans.
“This partnership marks an important step in strengthening collaboration to support the East African Community’s regional integration agenda through better trade, investment and evidence-based policymaking,” he said.
The Speaker noted that SEATINI’s expertise in trade and investment policy would complement EALA’s legislative and oversight functions, particularly in addressing challenges facing women involved in cross-border trade.
EALA Women’s Caucus Chairperson Amb. Fatuma Ndangiza described the agreement as a strategic milestone rather than a symbolic gesture.
“This is not a ceremonial moment — it is a strategic one. What we do today is not the beginning of our relationship; we are formalising it,” she said.
SEATINI Executive Director Jane Nalunga said the success of regional integration should ultimately be measured by its impact on ordinary citizens, especially women traders and young entrepreneurs.
“The success of regional integration will not be measured only by treaties signed or markets opened, but by whether women traders cross borders with dignity, whether young entrepreneurs can seize regional opportunities, and whether MSMEs can compete fairly,” she said.
The MoU will remain in force for five years, with annual reviews to assess progress and implementation. The two institutions also committed to joint fundraising and resource mobilisation to support research, oversight activities, publications and capacity-building programmes throughout the partnership.
The agreement comes as the EAC intensifies efforts to expand opportunities for women-led businesses and strengthen inclusive economic growth across the region.
