EAC advances development of Regional Framework For Secure Cross-Border Data Flows to power East Africa's digital economy

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 25^th June, 2026 : The EAC has taken a major step towards building a trusted and integrated regional digital economy as regional data protection experts meet in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to for a regional validation workshop on the harmonisation of cross-border data flows frameworks.

The five-day meeting, running from 23^rd to 27^th June, 2026 has brought together experts from EAC Partner States to review and validate a proposed Cross-Border Data Flows Framework. The framework is designed to facilitate secure, lawful and accountable movement of data across the region, while safeguarding privacy, strengthening trust and supporting digital trade.

As East Africa accelerates its digital transformation, the movement of data across borders has become as important to economic integration as the movement of goods, services, capital and people. Yet despite its growing importance, cross-border data flows remain largely misunderstood by the public.

"Cross-border data flows are no longer a technical or niche regulatory concern. They are central infrastructure for regional trade, financial services, digital public services and health systems across the East African Community," said EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs, Ms. Annette Ssemuwemba, while opening the workshop.

The Deputy Secretary General noted that every mobile money transaction, online purchase, customs declaration, telemedicine consultation, e-learning session and digital government service depends on data moving across borders safely and efficiently.

"Many people do not realise that every time they make a mobile money payment, access an online government service, consult a doctor remotely, or purchase goods online, data is moving across borders. If we want these services to be secure, affordable and accessible, we must create a trusted framework that allows data to move safely across the region," she added.

For millions of East Africans, cross-border data flows are already part of everyday life.

When a trader in Kigali receives a mobile money payment from Kampala, when a patient in Bujumbura accesses specialist healthcare services online, when a student in Arusha attends a virtual class hosted in Nairobi, or when a traveller uses digital services while moving across the region, data is being transferred across borders in real time.

Secure and seamless data flows help businesses reach customers more efficiently, improve digital payment systems, facilitate trade, support innovation and expand access to education, healthcare and government services.

East African companies are already leveraging cross-border data to drive economic growth. Mobile money platforms process millions of transactions daily using data-driven systems, digital identity verification firms use biometric data to combat fraud, while technology companies use regional data to strengthen supply chains, expand financial inclusion and improve customer service delivery.

Despite growing digital connectivity, the movement of data across East Africa continues to face significant challenges.

Although several EAC Partner States have enacted data protection laws and established oversight institutions, differences in national regulations, transfer requirements, supervisory mechanisms and enforcement approaches continue to create uncertainty for businesses and institutions operating across multiple jurisdictions.

These differences increase compliance costs, slow innovation and can act as barriers to regional trade and integration.

The challenge is particularly significant for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which often lack the resources required to comply with different regulatory requirements in every market. Studies indicate that nearly half of small online exporters in Africa report that differences in national data protection and digital regulatory regimes limit their ability to export and expand across borders.

The Deputy Secretary General observed that regulatory fragmentation remains one of the biggest obstacles to building a seamless regional digital market.

"Today, businesses operating in multiple EAC Partner States often face different rules, procedures and compliance requirements for handling data. These differences increase costs, create uncertainty and can discourage innovation. For small businesses and start-ups in particular, fragmented regulations can become a significant obstacle to regional growth," she noted.

The framework under validation seeks to establish a harmonised approach to cross-border data transfers across the EAC that promotes data subjects' rights and protections while respecting national legal systems and regulatory sovereignty.

The proposed framework will support common standards, interoperable tools, coordinated oversight and practical cooperation among Partner States to ensure that data can move securely and predictably across the region. It aims to reduce regulatory and compliance barriers for businesses, strengthen trust and accountability in digital transactions, enhance cooperation among national regulators, and support innovation, investment and digital trade, while ensuring that citizens' personal data remains protected and secure.

The workshop represents an important milestone in the EAC's vision of establishing a Single Digital Market where businesses, citizens and governments can interact seamlessly across borders through trusted digital systems.

Participants are conducting a detailed review of the proposed framework, validating recommendations from national consultations undertaken across all EAC Partner States and identifying implementation priorities ahead of finalisation.

Expected outcomes include a validated harmonised framework on cross-border data flows, strengthened consensus among Partner States, agreed implementation priorities and enhanced regional coordination on data governance.

Emphasising the strategic importance of the initiative, the Deputy Secretary General said trusted data flows are fundamental to the success of regional integration in the digital age.

"A fragmented and unpredictable cross-border data regime is, in practical terms, a non-tariff barrier to the Common Market. We cannot build a functioning Single Digital Market while leaving this gap unaddressed," she said.

"Our objective is not to create new barriers, but to build trust. We are working towards a future where businesses can operate seamlessly across East Africa, citizens can access digital services wherever they are in the region, and governments can collaborate more effectively through secure and trusted data-sharing mechanisms," she added.

Global studies show that countries with data governance regimes that facilitate secure cross-border transfers experience stronger export growth, increased digital trade and greater economic competitiveness.

For East Africa, harmonised data governance frameworks are expected to support digital transformation, strengthen regional value chains, improve public service delivery and create new opportunities for entrepreneurship, innovation and employment.

The development of the harmonised framework is being undertaken under the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP), a World Bank-supported initiative that seeks to advance regional digital integration and accelerate the establishment of a Single Digital Market in East Africa through trusted digital infrastructure, harmonised policies and integrated digital markets.

For more information, please contact:

Aileen Mallya
Communications Expert
Eastern African Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP)
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 754 266564
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.eac.int/eardip

About the Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP):

The Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP) is a flagship initiative of the East African Community (EAC), financed by the World Bank. EARDIP aims to advance digital market integration, connectivity, and inclusion across Eastern Africa by expanding access to regional broadband infrastructure, strengthening the enabling legal and regulatory environment, and enhancing regional capacity through digital skills development and institutional strengthening. The project is designed to foster a seamless regional digital economy that promotes cross-border trade, innovation, and inclusive growth. www.eac.int/eardip

About the East African Community:

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of Burundi, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The EAC aims to expand and deepen economic, political, social, and cultural integration to improve the quality of life of the people of East Africa through increased competitiveness, value-added production, trade, and investment.