Seamless digital cross-border transaction program sails across the East African Community
Costing 28 million Euros the program is a collaborative initiative between the European Union (EU) and the East African Community secretariat and was launched at the EAC headquarters in Arusha.
Black News 
The East African Community, together with the European Union have officially unveiled the Digital Economy, E-commerce, E-payment, and Public E-services.
Costing 28 million Euros the program is a collaborative initiative between the European Union (EU) and the East African Community secretariat and was launched at the EAC headquarters in Arusha.
The Head of Section – Infrastructure and Regional Cooperation European Union Delegation to Tanzania and the East African Community, Paola Trevisan said the EU-EAC DEEP program is aimed at enhancing digital infrastructure and fostering e-commerce in East Africa.
“Despite sailing in Arusha today, DEEP has in fact already been under implementation for close to a year. Our teams from GIZ, ESTDEV and Expertise France have been on the ground since July last year, working alongside the EAC Secretariat and Partner States to lay the foundations of this programme,” Trevisan explained.
“DEEP Programme is conceived to act on the digital leverages of e-governance, e-commerce, e-payments and cybersecurity to foster a sustainable African digital single market and accelerate trade with Europe,” she added.
“While boosting the regional integration, DEEP will support the implementation of the EAC and AU Digital Transformation Strategies and directly contribute economic integration towards the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA),” Paola maintained.
It was also stated that under the e-Commerce component, DEEP has started its support to the establishment and strengthening of EAC’s national e-commerce associations.
It was also revealed that there is already a strong momentum for The EU and EAC Digital Partnership.
The Deputy Secretary General in Charge of Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs, East African Community, Annette Mutaawe Ssemuwemba said digital transformation is a global agenda which allows seamless transactions.
“And in East Africa we are also transforming our digital platforms for speeding up cross-border business and we are sure it will deliver more jobs, especially for the youth as well as boosting innovation,” said Ms Ssemuwemba.
Under the e-Payments component, DEEP is reportedly supporting an interlinked regional payment switch and exchanges have already taken place between Central bank officials of East Africa and key partners in Europe, including the European Central Bank (ECB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Deutsche Bundesbank and European payment companies.
DEEP is a component of a larger continental Action co-funded by the Team Europe and European Union Member States called Safe and Digital Boost for Africa (SDBA)
The Safe Digital Boost Agenda (SDBA) 2025-2027, bankrolled by the European Union, aims to advance the development of a single digital market in East Africa by enhancing digital trade and commerce, electronic governance, digital government and cybersecurity.
