KAMPALA, Uganda — The inaugural East Africa Trade and Investment Forum (EATIF) concluded Thursday, marked by significant U.K. investment announcements, including a $100 million trade finance facility and a $5 million boost for electric motorbike infrastructure in Kenya.

The two-day forum, held May 21-22, brought together businesses and government officials from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and the United Kingdom to foster new trade and investment partnerships. DMA Invest and the East Africa Association organized the event in collaboration with the U.K. Government.

A key highlight was the $100 million facility from British International Investment (BII) and Standard Chartered Bank, aimed at supporting trade finance in Kenya and Tanzania. This initiative seeks to enhance access to finance for businesses and increase the availability of essential goods and services. The investment is also structured to qualify for the “2X Challenge,” promoting gender equality by supporting female-led businesses and creating leadership opportunities for women. It’s projected to facilitate more than $450 million in trade volumes over its lifetime.

In addition, BII announced a $5 million investment in Kenya’s electric motorbike sector. This funding will support ARC Ride’s initial deployment of 5,000 electric two-wheelers and upgrade battery swapping infrastructure, critical for increasing the adoption of electric mobility. This move is expected to save more than 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually by replacing petrol-powered “Boda-Bodas,” a vital part of East Africa’s informal economy.

Lord Collins, the U.K. Government’s Minister for Africa, represented the United Kingdom at the summit, emphasizing the U.K.’s long-term commitment to investment in the region. He stated the forum would “showcase the best of East African business to British business and lay a pipeline of private sector investment between them.”

Ministers and officials from East African nations also attended, including Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, Principal Secretary, State Department for Investment Promotion, Kenya; John Mwendwa, CEO of the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest); Gen. Wamala, Uganda’s Minister for Works and Transport; and Msafiri Lameck Mbibo, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Minerals in Tanzania.

Mwebesa Francis, Uganda’s Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, welcomed the forum as a vital platform to showcase Uganda’s trade and investment opportunities, aiming to “enhance our trade infrastructure, diversify our export markets, and drive sustainable development.”

Chris Chijiutomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa at British International Investment, underscored BII’s dedication to economic growth in East Africa through these strategic investments, which he noted address critical needs and contribute to inclusive and sustainable development.

The EATIF aims to build robust partnerships between businesses and policymakers to channel private sector funding into high-impact sectors such as infrastructure, clean energy, agribusiness, healthcare, and manufacturing. The forum is designed to replicate the success of the West and Central Africa Forum (WCAF), which generated over £1 billion in deals across three years.