The African Development Bank Group's High-Level Mission Review: Strengthening East Africa's Regional Integration
The African Development Bank Group recently embarked on a comprehensive mission to assess the effectiveness of its East Africa Regional Integration Strategy Paper (EA-RISP 2023-2027) and evaluate the performance of its 2025 regional portfolio. This mission aimed to identify areas of improvement and strengthen collaboration with regional stakeholders to enhance the impact and sustainability of ongoing and future operations.
The Bank Group's delegation, led by Bubacarr Sankareh, East Africa Lead Operations Advisor, engaged in productive meetings with key regional stakeholders, including the African Union Commission and UNECA, the East African Community and Intergovernmental Authority on Development regional economic blocs, representatives from the Eastern Africa Power Pool, and business bodies such as the East African Business Council and the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
These discussions highlighted the development challenges that hinder effective regional integration. Sankareh emphasized that the region's overarching development challenge remains the slow pace of structural transformation, which impedes trade, job creation, inclusive growth, and poverty reduction.
He explained that the RISP was developed to address these key development challenges by aligning with the Bank's overall strategy, the development plans of regional member countries, and the African Union's Agenda 2063. The RISP serves as the Bank's regional programming instrument, guiding interventions to advance integration at a regional level.
The current RISP has facilitated significant infrastructure projects, such as phase one of the Tanzania-Burundi-DRC Standard Gauge Railway, the Burundi-Rwanda Integrated Development Project, and the Comoros Maritime Corridor Development and Trade Facilitation Project. These initiatives aim to enhance transport connectivity, trade, and economic integration across the region. Additionally, the Bank has provided technical assistance and policy dialogues with regional institutions, demonstrating its adaptability and commitment to advancing regional priorities.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the East Africa Business Council, Adrian Njau, praised the Bank's support for regional infrastructure development in energy and transport interconnectivity, as well as trade facilitation and value chain development. He stated, 'These projects have enabled regional integration, reduced the cost of doing business, and enhanced the competitiveness of products within the region.'
As of June 2025, the Bank's multinational operations in East Africa accounted for 36.6% of its commitments in the region, with 107 projects valued at $6.3 billion. Since 2023, the portfolio has expanded by $1.3 billion, driven by investments in transport, social, multi-sector, and environmental initiatives.
This mission provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned, identify priorities for the remaining strategy implementation period, and determine areas for improvement. The Bank's delegation, including Eva Ruganzu, Samuel Kamara, Patrick Kanyimbo, and Emmanuel Nyirinkwaya, along with the Independent Evaluation team, is conducting case studies to draw broader lessons for the Bank's regional integration strategic framework.
