Uganda’s trade deficit with East African Community (EAC) member states widened to $808.97 million in August 2026 as imports from the regional bloc continued to outpace the country’s export earnings, highlighting the imbalance in regional trade.
Uganda imported goods worth $1.05 billion from EAC countries during the month, compared with exports valued at $241.29 million, according to the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) Macroeconomic Digest.
The deficit was largely driven by trade with Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi, where the value of goods Uganda purchased was significantly higher than what it exported to the three countries.
Kenya was Uganda’s largest source of imports within the bloc, supplying goods worth $714.47 million in August. However, Uganda’s exports to the neighbouring country amounted to only $41.05 million, resulting in a trade deficit of $673.42 million.
Kenya alone accounted for about 68 per cent of Uganda’s total imports from the EAC during the month.
Tanzania was the second-largest source of imports, with goods worth $203.61 million entering Uganda, against exports of $13.81 million. This left Uganda with a trade deficit of $189.80 million.
The country also recorded a deficit of $101.43 million with Burundi, importing goods worth $110.97 million while exporting goods valued at $9.55 million.
However, Uganda maintained trade surpluses with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan and Rwanda, although these gains were insufficient to offset the deficits recorded with the three neighbouring countries.
The DRC remained Uganda’s largest export destination within the regional bloc, with exports valued at $84.30 million against imports of $7.21 million, generating a trade surplus of $77.09 million.
South Sudan was the second-largest market among Uganda’s surplus-generating EAC partners. Uganda exported goods worth $61.27 million to the country while importing goods valued at $4.56 million, resulting in a surplus of $56.71 million.
Uganda also recorded a trade surplus of $21.89 million with Rwanda, earning $31.32 million from exports while importing goods worth $9.43 million.
Despite the surpluses in the three markets, the heavy concentration of imports from Kenya and Tanzania, coupled with the deficit with Burundi, continued to weigh on Uganda’s overall trade position within the regional bloc.
