Concept
The most important geopolitical advancement is happening today in East Africa. East Africa’s leaders are contemplating a radically different future for their 312 million citizens — joining into a single super country:
The East African Federation
East African Community members
Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
These eight East African countries are economically and politically integrating in four pillars:
Customs Union
East Africa has abolished internal tariffs, adopted a Common External Tariff and removed other barriers to trade.
Common Market
East Africa is implementing free movement of goods, services, workers and capital removing artificial barriers to productive activity.
Single Currency
East Africa seeks to unite its nations under a single currency, increasing stability, deepening markets and increasing global influence.
Political Federation
A federated East Africa adds common security, foreign policy and improved governance to the economic union achieved in pillars 1-3.
Integrating generates big benefits
Faster economic growth from a massive common market
A new global power as the world’s fourth largest natio
Integrated security that addresses perennial conflicts
Estimates show integration can increase total GDP per capita by up to 22%. For an East Africa common market, this would translate to an additional $70 billion in GDP per year.
But progress is slowed by a lack of civil society support
The East African Community and its efforts to federate lack the support of a dedicated, world-class think tank.
United States
2,203
think tanks
European Union
2,932
think tanks
East African Community
0
think tanks
Proposal
A new world-class think tank dedicated to implementing the East African Community’s four pillars of integration: customs union, common market, monetary union and political federation.
This effort is endorsed by over 100 leading academics and civil society leaders working on integration...
...and supported by leading officials at the East African Community.
The mission of the Institute will be to reduce poverty in East Africa
Evidence and theory backing theory of change
Driving Growth
World Economic Forum: “Regional integration is key to economic growth” according to trade officials and top business leaders.
World Bank: “Regional integration helps countries overcome divisions that impede the flow of goods, services, capital, people and ideas. These divisions are a constraint to economic growth, especially in developing countries.
Reducing poverty
Dollar, Kleineberg, and Kraay (2016): the “evidence confirms the central importance of economic growth for improvements in living standards at the low end of the income distribution.”
Škare and Družeta (2015): the analysis shows that “as growth occurs poverty reduces, no matter the level of inequality”.
Small gains can drive significant, cost-effective returns.
Increasing the growth rate by one hundredth of one percent would generate about $30 million in additional GDP for member states.
If that increase to the growth rate is sustained (e.g. an increase in productive capacity due to an optimal tax reform that would generate benefits year after year), then the net present value of those benefits is about $630 million.
Governance, scholar nationality and staffing
EAI’s special projects group will create solutions to problems identified as high-priority. In particular the group will offer strong data and tech capacity.
Resident scholars will be East African. Non-resident associates will include a mix of East African and global scholars.
The initial leader will be American, but he will be replaced by East African when EAI is fully launched.
How the Institute will operate
EAI will be headquartered as close as possible to the East African Community headquarters in Arusha, to maximize collaboration.
EAI will bring academics to Arusha for direct collaboration between the integration research community and the policy leaders driving the agenda.
EAI will work with EAC and partner governments to identify significant barriers, on a micro, mezo and macro level, to integration that could be alleviated with additional capacity.
EAI will build a top-notch, fully customized government consulting operation. Based on joint prioritization exercises, EAI teams will tackle and solve the most important barriers.
EAI has built a network of 100+ leading East African academics who study integration. This network will be tapped to conduct relevant, actionable research and recommendations.
EAI’s special projects group will create solutions to problems identified as high-priority. In particular the group will offer strong data and tech capacity.
Contact Us
General Inquiries
info@eastafrica.institute
Founders
Elijah Goldberg elijah@eastafrica.institute
John Bosco Kalisa johnbosco@eastafrica.institute