East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 25th May, 2026: The East African Community (EAC) has commenced a series of regional engagements aimed at advancing the development of a harmonised Regional Mobile Roaming Framework to support affordable cross-border communication, enhance regional trade and accelerate implementation of the EAC Single Digital Market agenda.
The engagements, taking place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from 25th to 29th May, 2026 bring together regional telecommunications experts, policymakers, Heads of Communications Regulatory Authorities and regional partner institutions under the Meeting of the Technical Committee on Telecommunications.
Welcoming delegates to Tanzania, the Host Government appreciated Partner States and regional stakeholders for convening in Dar es Salaam to advance regional telecommunications integration.
“We welcome you all to Dar es Salaam and wish you a pleasant stay in Tanzania. We appreciate the decision to host these important meetings in Dar es Salaam, recognising that the outcomes of these engagements will contribute significantly towards reducing the cost of telecommunications services and improving communication across the region,” said Mr. Philemon Machaine, Principal ICT Officer, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, United Republic of Tanzania.
The Chairperson of the Meeting, Principal Regional Integration Officer for Science and Technology, Ministry of EAC Affairs, Republic of Uganda, Mr. George Lwevoola, observed that regional discussions on mobile roaming within the EAC formally commenced in 2013 and have since registered steady progress towards making cross-border communication more affordable and accessible across the region.
“Efforts aimed at making communications affordable within the region have been ongoing for more than a decade. While significant progress has been made, Partner States have also jointly implemented various initiatives, including the One Network Area, which have provided valuable lessons and experiences that continue to inform development of a sustainable and harmonised regional roaming framework for the Community,” noted Mr. Lwevoola. “Over the next five days, we hope to register further progress towards making communication services cheaper and facilitating business and regional integration through improved connectivity,” he added.
Opening the meeting, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social & Political sectors, Hon. Andrea Ariik Malueth, observed that digital connectivity has become a strategic enabler of regional integration, trade and economic transformation within the Community.
“Affordable and seamless communication across borders is essential for deepening regional integration, supporting trade and enabling East Africans to fully participate in the digital economy. The proposed Regional Mobile Roaming Framework is therefore a critical step towards realising the EAC Single Digital Market vision,” Hon. Ariik noted.
Hon Ariik further observed that while the existing EAC Roaming Framework adopted in 2014 significantly reduced communication costs across the region, challenges related to high roaming charges, inconsistent implementation and varying regulatory approaches continue to affect seamless regional connectivity.
High roaming charges continue to affect cross-border traders, transport operators, tourists, students and businesses that rely on mobile communication services while travelling within the region. The cost of voice calls, SMS and mobile data services across borders remains a barrier to trade efficiency, business continuity and socio-economic interaction among East Africans.
Affordable regional roaming services are critical to supporting implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol and the broader vision of a Single Digital Market, where citizens and businesses can communicate, transact and access digital services seamlessly across Partner States.
“Cross-border traders, transport operators, tourists and businesses depend heavily on reliable mobile communication services. By advancing a harmonised regional roaming framework, the EAC is addressing one of the practical barriers that continue to affect movement, trade and socio-economic interaction within the Community,” Hon. Ariik added.
The current engagements are reviewing findings of a regional study on the implementation of the EAC Roaming Framework and deliberating on a draft long-term Regional Mobile Roaming Framework intended to establish a sustainable and harmonised regulatory mechanism for International Mobile Roaming Services within the Community.
The study, undertaken by the EAC Secretariat with support from the World Bank under the Eastern African Regional Digital Integration Project, assessed policy, legal, regulatory, commercial and technical dimensions affecting regional roaming across Partner States.
The study identified several challenges affecting the implementation of regional roaming initiatives, including inconsistencies in regulatory and commercial practices, high interconnection and transit costs, tax disparities, fraud risks, inconsistent quality of service and limited consumer awareness.
The study further observed that the current framework remains largely voice-centric and does not adequately address growing demand for affordable data services required to support e-commerce, digital payments, online services and broader digital integration across the region.
To address these challenges, the draft Regional Mobile Roaming Framework proposes harmonised measures aimed at strengthening consumer protection, establishing cost-based tariffs, enhancing enforcement and compliance mechanisms, improving quality of service and supporting sustainable implementation of roaming services within the EAC.
The proposed framework is expected to contribute towards reducing communication barriers across borders, improving the affordability of roaming services and supporting regional trade, tourism and investment.
During the week-long engagements, delegates will undertake technical review and validation of the study report and draft framework, participate in targeted capacity-building sessions and hold high-level policy deliberations among Heads of Communications Regulatory Authorities.
The outcomes of the meetings will inform subsequent policy processes within the Community, including submission of the draft framework to the Sectoral Council on Transport, Communications and Meteorology for consideration and adoption.
In addition to the regional experts, regional institutions including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Smart Africa Alliance and the East African Communications Organisation (EACO) are also participating in the engagements.
Aileen Mallya
Communications Expert
Eastern African Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP)
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 754 266564
Email: amallya@eachq.org
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
