CITIL grew out of the need to ensure that the conduct of international and domestic trade and investment and the formulation of multilateral and domestic economic, trade and investment policies addresses the development needs of the developing countries of the East African region and that the same do not undermine the policy space of the developing countries to adopt measures necessary for their national development needs.

CITIL provides a forum for addressing the emerging and contemporary legal and policy issues in international trade and investment arena and providing the policy and decision makers with research-based alternatives, that ensures that such policies do not undermine the promotion and security of fundamental rights and freedoms.

The foregoing goal is underpinned by the following Objectives:

To facilitate and create public awareness on international trade and negotiation processes.

• To advocate and lobby for involvement, consultation and participation of all stakeholders in international trade processes.
• To promote and advocate for trade related institutional, legal and policy reforms in the East African countries.
• To initiate, promote and sustain dialogue and interaction among the stakeholders in all areas of national and international trade.
• To highlight and strengthen the role of investment in promoting international trade and sustainable development.
• To build the capacity of stakeholders and government officials to utilize the dispute settlement mechanisms under the various national and international trade blocs and regimes.
• To promote strategic and functional trade related regional integration.
• To promote and ensure the entrenchment of the concepts of human rights, gender concerns and environmental concerns into the mainstream international trade processes.
• To spearhead institutionalised ruled based consumer protection and maintenance of trade competition.