Kampala, Uganda, The third Regional Steering Committee (RSC) meeting for the European Union (EU) funded EU-East African Community (EAC) Market Access Upgrade Programme (MARKUP II) was held in Kampala, Uganda, from 5-7 March 2025.
The meeting was attended by representatives from six Partner States of the EAC: the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania. Officials from the EAC Secretariat, delegations of the EU to Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, as well as representatives from the East African Business Council (EABC) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), also participated.
Chaired by Mr. Raphael N. Kanothi, Deputy Director of the Ministry of EAC and Regional Development, Republic of Kenya, the meeting provided updates on the progress of the EU-EAC MARKUP II program. The RSC serves as an opportunity for key stakeholders from the Partner States, the EAC Secretariat, and the EU to review the programmes implementation progress and for the committee to provide strategic guidance to maximize the impact of MARKUP II.
Mrs. Edith Mwanje, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of East African Affairs (MEACA), stated, “It is an honor for Uganda, ‘The Pearl of Africa,’ to host the third Regional Steering Committee of MARKUP II”. She observed that sharing best practices and feedback from MSMEs strengthens the continuation of successes achieved under MARKUP I and II, while exploring deeper interventions in value addition, processing, diversification, and investment promotion, based on the results of the implementation period. She appreciated the broadened support for selected sectors under MARKUP II and expressed grateful to the European Union (EU) for their unwavering support in fostering economic development in the EAC through the MARKUP II Programme.
Mr. Leo Kizito Ojara, the MARKUP II focal point for Uganda, joined the Permanent Secretary in warmly welcoming all members to Uganda. He expressed gratitude to the EAC Secretariat for providing continuous strategic direction and to the EAC Partner States for their cooperation in executing this regional program. He thanked the EU for supporting the program and the ITC for their close collaboration with the government of Uganda in its implementation.
Ms. Annette Mutaawe Ssemuwemba, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Customs, Trade, and Monetary Affairs, observed that EAC-EU-MARKUP II is a flagship program for both the EAC and the EU, playing a crucial role in supporting SMEs across key value chains in the region to expand their markets to the EU. She acknowledged the positive performance in exports from priority value chains under MARKUP, particularly in coffee, avocado, and cocoa. Emphasizing the need to scale up MARKUP II interventions, she urged Partner States to intensify efforts to reach as many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as possible. She also highlighted the importance of ownership by Partner States, the private sector, and other beneficiaries, ensuring they take the lead in driving and sustaining the programme’s efforts beyond its lifespan.
Ms. Dorothy Tembo, Deputy Executive Director of ITC said, “MARKUPII is bringing value addition, diversification, and economic integration closer to more MSMEs, which will have significant implications for jobs and livelihoods across Africa. The insight from this initiative can support broader goals, such as enhancing intra-African trade and fostering the green transition. Together with our partners, we are laying a solid foundation for greater regional integration, not only within the EAC and its Partner States, but across the African continent and its RECs. We thank the EU, EAC and Partner States for their collaboration and commitment to ensuring the success of this project.”
Delegates also visited program beneficiaries from the coffee and horticulture sectors in Uganda. These monitoring visits allowed members to learn about the impact of the programme directly from the beneficiaries, as well as hear about the challenges they continue to face, which need to be addressed by Partner States and development partners.
The EU-EAC MARKUP II governance structure provides strategic guidance for program implementation. It plays a pivotal role in ensuring country-level ownership, monitoring performance, and comprises National Steering and Technical Committees at the Partner State level and Regional Steering and Technical Committees at the regional level.
