The countries of the Horn of Africa have taken another step toward stronger regional economic integration. Meeting this week in Addis Ababa, the region’s trade ministers adopted a common roadmap aimed at facilitating intra-regional trade over the 2026–2031 period.
The document, adopted by Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan, aims to reduce trade barriers, improve regional connectivity and facilitate the cross-border movement of goods and services.
The new roadmap is based on a series of coordinated reforms designed to modernize the region’s trade systems. It notably provides for stronger customs cooperation, improved logistics infrastructure and the development of digital solutions to simplify trade.
Fourteen Priorities to Accelerate Integration
The action plan sets out 14 strategic objectives covering several key areas for the development of regional trade. Priorities include the interoperability of digital systems, the modernization of border management, improved governance of trade corridors, and the integration of transport and logistics networks.
The goal is to make trade faster, more predictable and less costly for businesses and economic operators across the region. The initiative is also expected to strengthen the competitiveness of the Horn of Africa and enhance its integration into the continental market, particularly within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Through this roadmap, the five countries aim to make the Horn of Africa a more connected, competitive and integrated trading region by building on regional cooperation, digital transformation and infrastructure modernization.