REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Defor¬estation and forest Degradation, the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks in developing countries. Although a formal international mechanism for REDD+ is yet to be fully de¬fined, REDD+ processes and initiatives are gaining popular¬ity internationally and are a subject of discussion in most climate change fora. REDD+ is also gaining momentum in East Africa, with Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania all participat¬ing in the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, Tanzania having a UN-REDD country programme and bilateral REDD+ programme with Norway, and a number of REDD+ pilot projects being established in the region. As REDD+ implementation will affect many actors, it is important that the government and the people own the process. Ownership, transparency, dissemina¬tion and implementation of activities by all relevant stakeholders will be key to the success of REDD+ programmes. Also, REDD+‘s proposed holistic ap¬proach where different sectors are actively involved in the implementation process will be important in the future. This analytical paper outlines the status of REDD+ processes, opportunities and challenges in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania and points out cur¬rent and potential synergies between REDD+ and key economic sectors: agriculture and food security, energy for rural development and water resources manage¬ment. The paper concludes with a general discussion on the cross-sectoral implementation of REDD+ at the East African Community level, and how REDD+ can better contribute to the 3 key sectors at the country and regional levels.