My East African Soko launched by EABC and ITC

The My East African Soko platform ("myeasoko") was launched on 11 November 2022 in Arusha, Tanzania, on the sidelines of a regional East African Community (EAC) business gathering themed "Embracing New Trading Trends Amidst Global Shocks: Business Rebound & Building Back Better."

Developed by the East African Business Council (EABC) in partnership with the International Trade Centre's (ITC) five-year "One Trade Africa" programme, the platform was originally presented as a web portal and mobile application allowing traders and service providers across the region to access business information, market their products online and expand their trade opportunities.

Services announced at launch

• An integrated e-marketplace
• A business listings directory
• An SME training academy (EABC SME Academy)
• Access to African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) trade documents and procedures for pre-selected shipments under the Guided Trade Initiative
• A mobile notification system for last-mile delivery coordination between SMEs and EABC
• Acceptance of online payments and product delivery tracking
• 24-hour customer support through integrated chat support and social media

Attendees at the launch included EABC Executive Director John Bosco Kalisa, ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton, EABC Board Director Kake Dhariwal, Arusha Regional Commissioner John Mongella, and East African Legislative Assembly MP Pamela Maassay.

Mr Kalisa noted that SMEs account for 60 percent of jobs in the EAC and that the platform aimed to support their recovery, resilience and future growth.

This article records the platform's original launch; MyEASOKO, in the relaunched form presented here, carries forward the name and spirit of the original EABC/ITC initiative as a trade information platform for the eight EAC member states.