16 EAC Women in Trade Champions from eight EAC Partners States have been recognised for their outstanding leadership and contribution to Intra-EAC trade in various sectors during the 25th East African Community (EAC) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair 2025, the largest MSMEs Trade Fair in the region.
The women champions had demonstrated exemplary skills, knowledge, and resilience in positioning their enterprises as drivers for regional economic integration and development, and were awarded by the chief guest, H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Chair of the EAC Summit of Heads of State, at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi.
Speaking during the ceremony, President Ruto reaffirmed the commitment of EAC Heads of State to resolve persistent non-tariff barriers that continue to constrain cross-border trade. He noted that the surge in regional trade and investment reflects a maturing internal market, one increasingly defined by innovation, competitiveness, and the shared determination of East Africans to trade more with each other and prosper together.
President Ruto further noted that the exhibition provides a critical moment to confront issues hampering trade ahead of the upcoming EAC Summit set for early December 2025. “The conversations shaping this Trade Fair are ambitious and action-oriented focusing on digital transformation, affordable finance, expanded markets, and green enterprise,” he said.
The event themed “25 Years of EAC Integration: Advancing Innovation and Regional Value Chains for Competetive MSMEs towards Sustainable Development” which brought together more than 3,000 exhibitors from across the eight EAC Partner States, is organized by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Confederation of Micro and Small Enterprises Organization (CMSEO - EA), Partner States and development agencies including GIZ runs between 7 - 16 November 2025.
The EAC Women in Trade Champions’ Initiative is a collaboration between the EAC Secretariat, East African Business Council, the East African Women in Business Platform and supported by GIZ - LIFTED, a project Co-financed by the European Union (EU) that aims to enhance women’s participation in regional economic integration. Anchored in the EAC Treaty and strategic frameworks, the initiative celebrates women who are actively shaping economic integration with the view to inspire, document, and amplify their impact.
The initiative emphasises the critical role of women in trade and highlights the importance of women's economic empowerment and leadership in driving regional economic growth and development in line with the integration agenda across various sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, and services.
The EAC MSMEs Trade Fair, also known as Jua Kali Fair, contribute towards the realisation of the region’s development goals and aspirations by lending support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, who are at the heart of the economies in the region. Additionally, it draws attention to the need for supportive policies and programs that address barriers that traders face such as access to markets, capacity development and cross-border trade among others.