{{The value of East African total trade with the world doubled from US $ 17.5 billion dollar in 2005 to US $37 billion in 2010 expanding the share of its economy that is traded from 27% to 47%.}}
This is contained in” the state of East African report 2012’ deepening integration and intensifying challenges that will be launched tomorrow presided over by the east African community ambassador general secretary DR Richard sezibera and SID international president ambassador Juma mwapucha at Hilton hotel Nairobi Kenya.
The report is an update of the inaugural of the states of east Africa 2006 and compiles and analyses data across key economic, social and political indicators from the five member states of east Africa.
The report also shows that: the EA population growth grew by 24 million between 2005 and 2010 and is estimated to reach 237 million by 2030 with an increased population and population density the pressure on the region’s natural resources will intensify further.
Investment in maternal and child health are yielding are strong return as few mothers are dieing in child birth as more surviving beyond infancy.
However, malnutrition remains one of the difficult challenges as faced by the region as evidenced that one-third of Kenyan children are stunted as are over half of the children in Burundi.
The telecom revolution is leading to an emerging mobile economy. Mobile subscription in across EAC grew from 3 millions in 2002 to 64 million in 2010, catalysing innovations such as M- pesa that have helped deepen financial inclusion.
East Africans are now more wired than ever before with the majority connecting to internet through their mobile phones.
The world is paying close attention to the east Africa community and engaging with its increasing intensity and broadening scope.
It’s enjoying growth in direct foreign investment attracted by its natural resource endowment, growing economies and integrating markets, recent markets and discovery of oil and gas in the region, the deployment of Ugandan, Burundians and Kenyan troops to Somalia, the fourfold increase from 15dollar million to 60 million dollar in the counterterrorism funding to the EAC.
The arrival of 100 us military advisers to Uganda and AFRICOMS’ continued presence in the region demonstrates that EAC is a critical region from a global, geopolitical standpoint.
East Africa’s infrastructure deficit is a well document challenge and infrastructure is crucial if the region if the region wants to receive a full benefit of regional integration. An estimated 95% of east African cargo is carried by road.
This present significant difficult of 91% of east African road network is unpaved. This can be alleviated if investment is made in the region’[s underperforming rail section.
Recent attempts to revive the sector including$ 40 Million from china for the Tanzania Zambia railway and the $40 Million African development bank loan for the rift valley railways are positive steps.
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