In 2020, 38% of Burundi’s world exports were to the rest of Africa. Burundi’s main African export markets are DRC, Tanzania and Sudan, which accounted for about 75% of total exports. The value of 2020 intra-Africa exports is US$62 million. The main export products were coffee/ tea, products of milling industry, iron & steel, beverages and tobacco.

29% of Burundi’s world imports were intra-Africa imports. Uganda’s intra-Africa imports are mainly sourced from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. Between 2019 and 2020, intra-Africa imports increased by 13%. cement, sugar, fertilisers, iron & steels, and cereals were the top imported product, accounting for 45% of intra-Africa imports.

Goods imported into Burundi from other EAC countries and the majority of COMESA member states enter duty-free. In COMESA the exceptions are goods imported from DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Eswatini and Somalia. African imports from outside the EAC and COMESA, DRC & Somalia attract MFN applied duty which is the EAC common external tariff (CET). The EAC CET has 7 tariff bands – duty-free, 10%, 25%, 35%, 50%, 60% and specific or combined duties.