Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva is putting small businesses at the centre of the East African Community conversation. Speaking to EAC partner states, he challenged member countries to do more to help small traders and entrepreneurs actually access the opportunities that regional integration is supposed to deliver.
The call reflects a growing frustration that the promise of a unified East African market has not fully reached the people who need it most. Small businesses, often operating without the legal or financial infrastructure of larger firms, have consistently struggled to move goods, access credit, and compete across borders even as trade agreements stack up on paper.
Nsengiyumva's push is a reminder that regional integration is only as strong as its most vulnerable participants. The next question is whether partner states will turn that challenge into concrete policy, or let it sit on the agenda until the next summit.
Originally published by AllAfrica.