The East African Community (EAC), with a population of about 168.2 million and a combined GDP of US$ 155.2 billion is one of Africa’s fastest growing regional blocs. Growth in the EAC is driven by a progressive manufacturing sector characterised by agro-processing and industrial production and exports. The Export Sector is dominated by tea, coffee and horticulture. The Region possesses significant amounts of extractive resources including oil and gas, high value minerals and renewable energy. This Reportprovides a detailed analysis of the trends for the year and synthesises the prospects for enhancement of trade and investment in the Region. The aim is to provide a platform for stakeholders, academics and policy makers to review the status of trade and investment, examine the developments at the regional and global level that have an impact on trade and investment in the EAC and measures to link the Region to the global economy.  

Pouring several colors of paint into a single bucket produces a gray pool of muck, not a shiny rainbow. Similarly, when it comes to discussions of financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), jumbling too many issues into the same debate leads to policy muddiness rather than practical breakthroughs. For example, the common “billions to trillions” refrain on SDG financing falls into this trap. While originally a useful device for calling attention to the need for a paradigm shift in financing, including from private sources, the meme’s emphasis on mega-aggregates is now a distraction from operational consideration

The 2019 World Trade Report examines how trade in services is likely to evolve in response to some major trends, such as demographic changes and the impact of digital technologies.