- Eastern Africa’s export performance has been buoyed by increases in key commodity prices such as gold, coffee and tea at a time when Trump tariffs are reshaping global business.
- In the region, DRC leads the charge with its exports to the United States increasing by more than a billion between April and July 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
- Ethiopia and Kenya also posted large increases in exports to the US, with a rise of 95% and 22%, respectively.
At a time when economies globally are on edge, smarting from the negative impact of U.S. President Donald Trump tariffs, the Eastern Africa region is going against the grain with new data showing countries in the area have significantly increased their exports.
According to statistics from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), trade between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Ethiopia with the U.S. has recorded remarkable resilience amid global turbulence, posting growth between April and July 2025 in comparison to a similar period in 2024.
ECA data shows that DRC, an economy that is highly dependent on mining and extraction is leading the charge in the Eastern Africa region, with exports to the U.S. rising by over a billion USD between April and July this year.
During the period under review, exports to the U.S. markets by Ethiopia and Kenya equally recorded significant increases, at 95 per cent and 22 per cent respectively, attributable to the effect of trade diversion as well as a strong demand from U.S. buyers for commodities from Eastern Africa.
Trump tariffs
Eastern Africa region was hit by Trump tariffs at an average of 10 per cent at a time when leading exporters to U.S. markets were slapped with much higher duty, such as 30 per cent for China, and Botswana.
ECA notes that Eastern Africa countries’ export performance has been powered by steady increases in key global commodity prices with gold prices increasing by over 60 per cent between January 2024 and July 2025, while coffee prices nearly doubled.
Trade statistics show that Tanzania and Uganda, which are both major gold producers, capitalized on this international markets trend to record massive gains, with Uganda also benefiting from strong exports of coffee, tea, fish, and flowers. At the same time, Kenya’s tea exports to international destinations hit a record $1.7 billion in 2024, up from $1.4 billion the previous year.
At the same time, ECA observes that Chinese manufactures exported less to the U.S. markets during the months under review, with shipments down 35.6 per cent in the year to July 2025, compared with the previous year.
Intra-African trade
At the same time, Trump tariffs seem to have accelerated the pace of intra-African trade as economies scouted for new destinations for their manufactured goods in the face of global turbulence.
ECA data shows that last year, the volume of trade within the East African Community (EAC) hit $11 billion, marking a 22 per cent increase from the previous year. Across the continent of 1.4 billion population, trade among nations increased by 8.5 percent, outpacing expansion in exports to markets outside the continent, which posted 0.4 per cent uptick.
Experts note that during this period, agricultural produce and manufactured goods such as textiles, chemicals, cement, and pharmaceuticals, have constituted the bulk of exports to regional destinations, high- lighting the potential of regional value chains and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Structural market challenges persist in Eastern Africa
Despite these successes for Eastern Africa economies, the region faces significant structural vulnerabilities, leaving some countries highly dependent on one income stream. For instance, mineral exports now dominate the trade landscape, with mining trade now accounting for 53 percent of all exports from Eastern Africa countries. At the same time, the share of manufacturing in exports has contracted over recent years to just 17.5 per cent on average in 2024.
Read also: Nairobi Gate SEZ pumps $7 million into Kenya’s agro-processing industry
Policy responses and infrastructure investments
To counter the decline in the contribution of manufacturing to the region’s economy, policymakers across Eastern Africa are putting forward strategic initiatives to bolster trade. This month, Kenya launched Phase II of the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone, while Tanzania has recently completed the expansion of Tanga Port and initiated agricultural export corridors.
In September, Uganda a bilateral agreement with Kenya to eliminate non-tariff barriers while Rwanda embarked on developing Rusizi Port to enhance regional logistics. What’s more Ethiopia is upgrading the Moyale One-Stop Border Post and expanding industrial parks.
As the future of African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) remains uncertain post 30th September, Eastern Africa must prepare for a post-AGOA landscape by diversifying export markets and strengthening intra-African trade. The region’s recent performance offers a blueprint for resilience, but long-term competitiveness will depend on reducing reliance on commodities, revitalising manufacturing, and deepening regional integration.
Read also: Afreximbank, KCB Group ready $800M for export-oriented plants in Kenya’s SEZ
