Some of the world’s poorest nations are located in the Horn of Africa and Great Lakes areas.  Poor infrastructure, low agricultural productivity and inadequate market competitiveness constrains economic grow. We are helping to increase trade, competitiveness and food security in the region.

Through the East Africa Trade and Investment Hub, USAID helps raise incomes by removing barriers to trade and reducing the cost of doing business. We achieve this by supporting increased regional integration, reducing the time and cost of transit, increasing trade in agriculture with a focus on staple foods and supporting increased U.S.-Africa Trade under the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA). Targeted value chains include coffee, cotton, textiles, apparel, staple foods and horticulture. In East Africa, USAID has developed a model to integrate into its trade programs the objectives of U.S. Feed the Future, the U.S. Government's global hunger and food security initiative.

Weak energy and transport infrastructures are the greatest inhibitors to intra-regional and international trade. We are helping to stimulate transit and utility infrastructure development through improvements in operations/finance management practices and the policy/regulatory environment through regional partners such as the East African Power Pool, Regional Economic Communities and the Regional Customs Transit Guarantee.

Related Resources

Fact Sheet: East Africa Trade and Investment Hub

AGOA in East Africa

East Africa Trade and Investment Hub Support to Ethiopia

East Africa Trade and Investment Hub Support to Rwanda

Boosting trade and investment with and within East Africa

Supporting Madagascar to Benefit from African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Exports

Investment and Technology Component