East Africa Regional

USAID works with regional intergovernmental organizations—the East African Community, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa—and with regional private sector and civil society groups to implement effective solutions to regional development challenges.

We promote regional economic integration and coordination throughout East Africa. With our partners we work to address those regional issues that countries cannot tackle on their own – reducing barriers to trade, increasing private sector investment in regional production and marketing for goods and services, promoting intra-regional trade in staple foods and livestock to improve food security, harmonizing agricultural standards and streamlining border trade processes within the region.

USAID also helps strengthen regionally integrated information and response systems. Our programs assist regional organizations to track and mitigate cross-border conflict, counter violent extremism, plan for events such as El Niño, protect communities from infectious diseases that easily cross borders and prevent wildlife traffickers.  These systems inform preparedness so that vulnerable communities can become more resilient to environmental shocks, such as drought. Regional policies are strengthened in order to improve health, agriculture, manage natural resources sustainably, promote adaptation to climate change across East Africa and sustain biodiversity by reducing wildlife crime.

While we work to build resilience, USAID also provides both humanitarian and development assistance, when needed, to food insecure or disaster-affected areas throughout East Africa, through Food for Peace and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.