Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA (EI): The Eastern Africa region is outperforming the rest of the continent in economic growth, although challenges related to economic divergence threaten regional integration, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has said.
This came as the UNECA’s Eastern Africa Office recently convened a briefing on the region’s economic outlook to ambassadors and high commissioners accredited to Rwanda, the UNECA said in a statement.
Addressing the briefing, Ozonnia Ojielo, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, highlighted the inter-connectedness of African economies, highlighting that “What affects one of us inevitably affects us all. A shift in one market is felt in the next. A disruption in a single trade corridor sends tremors through the entire region.”
Andrew Mold, Director of UNECA in Eastern Africa, for his part, noted robust growth across key economies but cautioned about widening disparities, rising social pressures, and increasing reliance on mineral exports.
Mold highlighted that the region is currently experiencing growth rates nearing 6 percent, significantly surpassing the African average of 4.1 percent.
According to recent forecasts by the international financial institutions, Africa’s economy is expected to outpace Asia’s growth for the first time in recent history by 2026.
Data from the UNECA showed that “exceptional performances” in several countries have driven this growth. Rwanda reported an “impressive” expansion of over 11 percent in its latest quarterly results, Tanzania followed with a solid 6.4 percent growth rate in the third quarter of 2025, while Kenya maintained resilience with a steady 5 percent during the same period. Uganda’s economy showed strong early-year performance, peaking at 8 percent in the first quarter of 2025 before easing to 4.8 percent by the third quarter.
In contrast, smaller and more isolated economies faced tougher conditions, it warned. Burundi recorded a modest growth rate of 2.6 percent, while Seychelles—despite being the region’s wealthiest nation with a per capita income of 15,000 USD—experienced volatility due to its dependence on tourism and fishing.
Mold also raised concerns about economic divergence despite these positive figures.
“Historically, between 2010 and 2020, the continent experienced a period of convergence whereby poorer countries grew faster than their wealthier neighbors. However, from 2020 to 2024 this trend went into reverse,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the UNECA reiterated its commitment to providing high-quality analytical support by collaborating closely with governments and diplomatic missions to enhance resilience, promote regional integration, and unlock Africa’s economic potential.
(Photo credit – UNECA)
