China remains EAC's largest trading partner as Q2 regional trade hits $52.3b

DAR ES SALAAM -- China remained the largest individual trading partner of the East African Community (EAC) in the second quarter (Q2) of 2026, as the region's total trade rose 37 percent year-on-year to $52.3 billion.

According to the EAC Quarterly Statistics Bulletin released on Wednesday, EAC exports to China nearly doubled from $5.7 billion in the second quarter of 2025 to $10.7 billion in the second quarter of 2026, largely driven by mineral commodities and other raw materials.

Imports from China also increased to $7.1 billion from $4.7 billion a year earlier, the bulletin showed.

Overall EAC exports increased 41.3 percent to $26.3 billion, while imports grew 32.9 percent to $26 billion.

The region recorded a trade surplus of $300 million, compared with a deficit of $945.3 million in the same quarter of 2025, according to the bulletin.

Intra-EAC exports grew 33.2 percent to $3.2 billion, while their share of total exports declined to 12.1 percent from 12.8 percent.

Copper and precious metals accounted for 61.9 percent of total exports, underscoring the region's continued reliance on mineral commodities, while coffee, tea and spices remained key agricultural exports.

Meanwhile, annual headline inflation across the EAC declined from 11.1 percent in April to 7.8 percent in June, while broad money supply grew 15.3 percent year-on-year to $107.7 billion.