Tanzania, Feb. 22 -- Arusha. The East African Community (EAC) will commence negotiations with four economic giants on free trade area (FTA) arrangements.

The four-the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Pakistan, and Singapore-are among seven countries that have requested free trade agreement arrangements with the bloc.

According to the EAC secretariat, negotiations with the trio will start anytime before June 30 this year.

This is as per a directive by the EAC Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment which ended its meeting here recently.

In all, the ministerial segment of the meeting agreed on the prioritisation of the negotiations with seven countries seeking FTA pacts with the EAC.

However, the nego...