The East African Community (EAC) has called on its Partner States to ensure that truck drivers and transport crews who test positive for COVID-19 are treated within the host country rather than being deported to their home countries. The plea was issued in a press release dated 27 April 2020 from the EAC Secretariat in Arusha, Tanzania.
The recommendation is contained in a 17-page guideline titled “EAC Administrative Guidelines to Facilitate Movement of Goods and Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic”, which the Secretariat distributed to Partner State governments. According to the document, mandatory screening or testing of drivers and crew at border posts must be enforced, with mobile monitoring along transit routes within host countries.
When a driver or crew member exhibits symptoms, they should be quarantined for 14 days under the supervision of the relevant Ministry of Health rather than being returned to their country of origin — a practice the EAC says could further spread the virus.
In support of regional trade continuity during the pandemic, the guidelines urge Partner States to adopt a multisectoral and coordinated approach. Goods crossing borders — such as food, fuel, medicines, agricultural products, and humanitarian supplies — are to be treated as essential services and thus prioritized.
The document further encourages Member States to promote local production of essential items, including sanitizers, protective gear, and ventilators, in order to reduce dependence on imports and bolster resilience. The EAC also recommends waiving border and port fees for essential goods during the crisis and expanding mobile money and electronic payments to reduce reliance on cash transactions.
On exchange of information, the guidelines ask Partner States to continuously share pandemic-related data with each other and with the EAC Secretariat. They also call for the designation of contact points for information flows between government agencies, traders, and cargo handlers.
Overall, the guidelines have four main objectives: complement national COVID-19 responses, ensure uninterrupted movement of goods and services, support local manufacturing of essential products, and raise regional awareness about COVID-19 impacts.
