The East Africa Cluster
Background
The East Africa/East African Community (EAC)/Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region consists of 11 countries with a population of about 275 million and an average GDP per capita of $1,300.
While East Africa has notable reserves of oil and gas (Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Somalia and Uganda), diamond (Tanzania) and gold (Ethiopia, Burundi, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Eritrea and Rwanda), the region is perhaps best known for tourism, coffee and tea.
East Africa dominates the production and export of coffee and tea, producing 62 percent of African coffee and 91 percent of African tea.
Ethiopia is the fifth largest coffee producer in the world and Africa’s leading producer. Kenya is the world’s third largest producer of tea and Africa’s leading producer.
About the B&M East Africa Cluster (EAC)
B&M’s East Africa Cluster (EAC) is a highly specialized research group of B&M analysts that provides clients with timely analysis on political, economic, security and social developments affecting East Africa, and forecasts the impact of these developments on a client’s bottom-line.
The Applications for Business and Investment
EAC analysts help clients incorporate political risk management into their plans for business in East Africa, especially at the point of entry and expansion.
Our flexible research model and pioneering AfriRisk Index©, the first comparative country risk index modeled to distinctively monitor, measure, and forecast political, economic, social, and security risks unique to Africa, can be adapted to track categories of risks prevalent in East Africa and pertinent to a client’s investment plans.
EAC analysts advise NGOs, non-profits, foreign aid donors, multilateral organizations and foreign governments (municipal, provincial and national), and help them (and other clients) monitor and manage the political risks of engaging institutions operating at the sub-regional level, including the East African Community (EAC).
For more information, please contact the East Africa Cluster (EAC) directly at eac@bmconsultancy.net
East Africa Cluster Analysts
In addition to being experts on general African politics, history and business, EAC analysts are particularly well-versed on and well-traveled within East Africa, possessing the requisite multinational language skills.
They monitor all developments affecting East Africa, including those occurring within and outside the region.
The cluster is supported by field research analysts and on-the-ground monitors based in several East African countries, strategically positioned to help our clients navigate and manage the day-to-day political, security and social risks of doing business on the ground.
The Space
The EAC conducts its research on a sub-regional, national, state, provincial, municipal and industry level.
It covers all 11 East African countries individually and collectively as members of the East African Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), two key sub-regional organizations promoting economic integration, trade, foreign investments and conflict resolution.
EAC analysts work in close collaboration with other B&M industry and regional clusters to provide clients with insightful comparative analysis of the business environment across multiple cities, states, countries, and regions.
Coverage Area (11 Countries)
Burundi
Comoros
Djibouti
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Kenya
Rwanda
Somalia
Sudan
Tanzania
Uganda
Common Research Topics
The politics of agribusiness, with a focus on key regional cash crops like coffee, tea and cocoa.
The impact of a recent decline in the tourism sector in the tourism-reliant economies of Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Comoros.
The consequence of heavy dependence on bilateral and multilateral aid by donor-dependent nations like Burundi and Rwanda.
The discovery of new reserves of natural resources (i.e. oil and gas reserves) in countries like Uganda.
Increasing integration and connectivity among EAC and IGAD members. For example, the EAC plans to introduce a monetary union with a common currency, the East African shilling, by 2015.
For more information, please contact the East Africa Cluster (EAC) directly at eac@bmconsultancy.net
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