Category Archives: East African Community News

NEGOTIATION ON EAC INTERGRATION PROTOCOL HIT THE ROCK AS TANZANIA CITES ‘HYPOCRISY’ AND SIDES WITH UGANDA ON CRUCIAL LAND OWNERSHIP ISSUES

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo

The majority of Ugandans consulted in the on-going public hearings by members of the East African Legislative Assembly have totally rejected foreign ownership of land by citizens from other East African states, a position that has also been articulated by Tanzania.

The Ugandans say that consultations on land in the on-going Common Market negotiations should be suspend until the region has formed a political union.

“We have to move very slowly on land issue process of different tenure system and legal regimes in the region. Let us wait until after the political federation, then we can talk about land”.

“the land issue is very sensitive and crucial within Uganda and Tanzania. There is no need to rush, said a Ugandan Legislator John Arupa Kgyagi during a recent public hearing conducted in Mbarara Town.

The Ugandans according to the analysts would force partner states within the East frican Community (EAC) back to drawing board since technocrats from the five capitals have already recommended in the draft common market proposed that land as a prime factor of production should be available to East Africans for ownership on equal terms.

Mr. Clement Kandole, the District Commissioner for Mbarara who has been involved in the negotiations between Uganda and Tanzania after he later expelled thousands of Ugandans and Rwandese from the country, also did not mince words about the protocol

“If Tanzania is concerned about land, why cant we go slow, Mr. Kondole said. They harbor quite suspicions about our people (occupying Tanzania ) when we are talking about slow tracking, they track about comprehensively, look at the underlying factors. Let us first build consensus in the region, said Mr. Kandole.

Uganda is currently reviewing its land laws to stop end massive evictions experienced in the past, which ignited violent conflicts between tenants and land lords who acquired huge chunks of land as colonial tenure. It is suspected that the view held by Ugandans on land is pegged on their experiences in these violent land clashes.

This development reinforces a sharp split between the partner states that emerged since the common market negotiations kicked off.

Tanzania has been viewed by other EAC members as a stumbling block to the negotiation process due to its apparent refusal to agree with other partner states on a critical provision of the draft protocol such as free movement of persons, rights of establishment and residence, and permanent residence.

Dr. Kaula added that Tanzania had attended the next meeting held in Nairobi where it made known its stand on the proceedings from the Kigali meeting.

“

In all regional meetings held in Kigali, Bujumbura, Nairobi, and Kampala and recently in Zanzibar , the Tanzanians have either stayed away or flatly rejected the proposals to consolidate the fore economies into one giant regional economy.

However, all the disagreements have been exhibited at the technical level of negotiations. This was one of the major reasons the East African Legislative Assembly Launched parallel consultations to collect the views on the public on the common market negotiation.

Meanwhile Tanzanians has detected itself saying its track records in the on going regional integration process again of allegation that is delaying negotiation of the East Africa Common Market protocol, saying it is nearly putting the interest if its Citizen interests.

Tanzanians Minister for East African Affairs and Corporation Dr Diodorous Kamala explained “I have told our expert involved in the negotiation to be very conscious before they sign anything that may go against our national interest”

The Minister emphatically cleared that Tanzanians would only sign agreement and treaties that safeguard its national Interest

“These are very technical issues hat needs careful consideration,” said the Minister.

Dr Kamala took a swipe at people who were “ignoring the facts on the ground” while accusing the country of delaying the whole process.

“It is surprising to hear these allegations because the common market negotiation should have started in 2006 when consultant should have started in 2006, when a consultant was to study a protocol: However, talks only got underway in August 2007>when the model was presented,” Dr Kamala told a Nairobi publication the EAST AFRICA.

Clarifying the chronology of the events, Dr Kamala said that the discussion were further delayed when Uganda wrote a letter to the secretariat to deter the talks as they were preparing rot the common wealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM)

The political crisis in Kenya also complicated matters and added to the delay as many more meetings were deterred. And when the next meeting was prepared, Tanzanians was posting the8th Leon Sullivan’s summit and so we wrote to the EPC secretariat requesting a postponement, that they (secretariat) claimed no to have received the letter and went head and convened the meeting in Kigali/Rwanda which ended up been consulted meeting because one member, Tanzania was missing, “Dr Kamala said”

According to the laid down rule a quorum for any substantial meeting of the EPC requires the attendant of all partner states.

In essence if you look at the whole scenario, Tanzania has in no way delayed the discussions because most of the issues were highly technical and needed time to conclude.. even th4e experts tasked with the work have said it is bigger and tougher than they had anticipated” said Dr. Kamala.

Dr. Kawola had made similar statements at a recent public hearing on the EAC common market protocol in Zanzibar, where he alleged that there was a lot of “hypocrisy” and ‘selfishness’ in the way the integration process was being conducted. He said that even the Zanzibar hearing, the EAC Secretariat asked for more time.

The public hearing session in Dar-es-salaam follows similar forums conducted in Kigali, Nairobi, Bujumbura, Zanzibar and Kampala.

The Minister disclosed that the EAC Secretariat was in the process of engaging a consultant who would study how the service industry could be liberalized. The protocol on its own isn’t enough because there are schedules involved. Imagine, the schedule on goods took four years to complete. Now we have those on labor, capital and services.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

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Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 04:30:15 -0800 [06:30:15 AM CST]
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: NEGOTIATION ON EAC INTERGRATION PROTOCOL HIT THE ROCK AS TANZANIA CITES ‘HYPOCRISY’ AND SIDES WITH UGANDA ON CRUCIAL LAND OWNERSHIP ISSUES

EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN TRADE BLOCS CHIEFS TO MEET IN SWAZILAND THIS WEEK TO PLAN FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW REGIONAL FREE TRADE AREA.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The three Chgief Executive Officers of the three African major trade blocs will be meeting in the Swaziland capital, Mbabane on December 12 to work out the roadmap for establishing a single Free Trade Area.

Establishing a common Free Trade Area was one of the key decisions reached by the tripartite Summit of the East African Community{EAC}, the Southern African Development Community{SADC} and the Common Market for East and Southern Africa{COMESA}, which was held in the Ugandan capita, Kampala in October this year.

He planned merger is expected to lead to the attainment of an African Economic Community with a population of over 527 million people and a combined GDP of USD 624 billion.

The tripartite summit resolved that the three region al economic communities should immediately start working towards a merger into single regional Economic Community

With the objective of fast tracking the attainment of the much larger trading bloc.

Among the first steps taken to fast track integration was an order to the three regional

secretariats to develop a roadmap within six months to the establishment of a Free Trade Area

that will facilitate the movement of business persons across the regions.

According to the 26 heads of states who met in Kampala, the Free Trade Area will pave the way for a single Customs Union thereby ending import taxes on goods originating from member states and non-tariff barriers to trade within the bigger region.

A Special Tripartite Council of Ministers was directed to meet within 12 months to consider the study report on the roadmap towards the Free Trade Area and determine the timeframe within which that should happen.

The Swaziland meeting this week, is the second since the Kampala tripartite meeting.

The first such a meeting was held in Nairobi in November. It discussed how best to implement

and to set up the Free Trade Area

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

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Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 01:59:04 -0800 [12/09/2008 03:59:04 AM CST]
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN TRADE BLOCS CHIEFS TO MEET IN SWAZILAND THIS WEEK TO PLAN FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW REGIONAL FREE TRADE AREA.

Fw: INVITATON TO CORRESPONDENTS – VISIT OF UK MINISTER TO EAC HEADQUARTERS ARUSHA 3 DEC 2008

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— On Sat, 11/29/08, Magaga Alot wrote:

From: Magaga Alot
Subject: INVITATION TO CORRESPONDENTS – VISIT OF UK MINISTER TO EAC HEADQUARTERS ARUSHA 3 DEC 2008
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2008, 4:42 AM

From: Magaga Alot
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 2:54 PM
Subject: PRESS RELEASE EAC COMMON MNARKET NEGOTIATIONS IN ZANZIBAR

To All Correspondents/News Editors

I am pleased to forward as attached herewith Invitation to Correspondents/News Editors to cover the Visit of the British Minister of State for Trade and Development, Hon Gareth Thomas, MP to the EAC Headquarters, Arusha on Wednesday, 3 December 2008.

Media Accreditation will be processed on arrival and identification.

Best regards

Magaga Alot

Head, Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs

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Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:36:44 -0800 [09:36:44 AM CST]
forwarded by: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: INVITATON TO CORRESPONDENTS – VISIT OF UK MINISTER TO EAC HEADQUARTERS ARUSHA 3 DEC 2008

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EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SECRETARIAT


P.O. Box 1096


ARUSHA, TANZANIA

Tel: 255-27-2504253/8


Fax: 255-27-2504255/2504481


E-mail: eac@eachq.org



28 November 2008




NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS /NEWS EDITORS


VISIT OF THE BRITISH MINISTER OF TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT, HON GARETH THOMAS, MP


This is to inform you that the British Minister of State for Trade and Development, Hon. Gareth Thomas, MP will visit the EAC Headquarters in Arusha on Wednesday, 3 December 2008 at 10.30 a.m.


Hon Gareth Thomas will hold discussions with the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Juma Mwapachu. They will sign an MOU between the EAC and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) under the DFID’s Regional East African Integration Programme (REAP) and thereafter address a Press Conference in the Chairman’s Room, EAC Headquarters, 5thFloor, Kilimanjaro Wing, AICC Complex.


You are cordially invited to attend and give coverage.






Magaga Alot


HEAD, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Fw: EAC PRESS RELEASE

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Hallo,

Kindly urgently view the attached Press Release.

EAC Countries to enter new covenant to control Lake Victoria waters use and agreed lake levels

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community (EAC)
Arusha International Conference Centre
Ngorongoro Wing, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 1096, Arusha
Tanzania.
www.eac.int

– – –
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:05:46 -0800 [03:05:46 AM CST]
Forwarded by: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: EAC PRESS RELEASE

– – – – – – – – – – –

PRESS RELEASE


EAC COUNTRIES TO ENTER NEW COVENANT TO CONTROL


LAKE VICTORIA WATERS USE AND AGREED LAKE LEVELS


EAC Headquarters, Arusha, 10 November 2008: The East African Community Partner States (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) have agreed to adopt a covenant on monitoring mechanism for the environmental management of Lake Victoria water resources.


The 19thExtraordinary Meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers held at the Zanzibar Beach Resort, Zanzibar on 10 November 2008 agreed to establish “an independent and transparent mechanism for monitoring water release and major abstractions under which the release and abstractions can be measured at all times by representatives of the Partner State of the Lake Victoria Basin’’.


The covenant which the EAC Partner States have now agreed to conclude with due dispatch will require the Partner States to develop, implement and be accountable to a legally binding Water Release Policy on the Lake Victoria and its basin.


The Council of Ministers directed the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) Secretariat to finalize the Water Release and Abstraction Policy and develop a legal mechanism to ensure compliance with the Agreed Curve Limit; and abstractions from the Basin that are equitable and reasonable. The Partner States further agree that the envisaged legal mechanisms shall include dispute resolution procedures as already provided under the Treaty for the Establishment of the East Africa Community.


The decision on the Lake Victoria covenant is among the decisions made by the 19th Extraordinary Council Meeting contained in the Report of the Meeting signed by Hon. Stanislas Kamanzi, Minister of Natural Resources, Rwanda; Hon. Dr Diodorus Kamala, Minister of East Africa Co-operation, Tanzania; Hon. Bakevyamusaya Venerand, Minister of Regional Integration and EAC Affairs, Burundi, Hon. Namunyangu Byakatonda, Minister of State, Ministry of Water Development, Uganda ; and Hon. Peter Munya, Assistant Minister, Ministry of East African Community, Kenya who attended the Meeting.


Linked to the time frame of the coming into force of the USD 200 million 2nd phase of the World Bank funded Lake Victoria Environment Management Project (LVEMP II), now in the final stages of negotiations, the conclusion by the EAC Partner States of the covenant should be not later than six months after 31 March 2009, the schedule date of effectiveness of LVEMP II. The development of the Water Release and Abstraction Policy will be realized within 12 months of this decision of the Council.


The covenant on monitoring mechanisms for the environmental management of the Lake Victoria waters will be included in the EAC –World Bank Grant Agreement for LVEMP II. The covenant will also be included in any other financial agreements within the LVEMP II.


The EAC Partner States and the international community lobby for the environmental preservation and protection of the Lake Victoria environment have over past near decade been seized of the environmental degradation of the Lake, in particular the declining of the level of Lake Victoria waters.


In related matter, the 19th Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers considered the proposed amendment of the Lake Victoria Bill, 2008 that has been tabled in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). The Extraordinary Meeting of the Council upheld the decision of the Sectoral Council of Ministers for the Lake Victoria Basin of 23 May 2008 maintaining the Institutional Framework contained in the Bill which is in harmony with the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community and the Protocol for the Sustainable Development of the Lake Victoria Basin.


The Extraordinary Council Meeting directed the LVBC Secretariat to convene a Consultative Meeting between the Sectoral Council for the Lake Victoria Basin and the Members of EALA Committee on Agriculture Tourism and Natural Resources to exchange views on the divergence of the proposed Amendment Bill which is in harmony with the EAC Treaty and the Protocol for the Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria Basin.


The Extraordinary Council Meeting also considered the East African Community Budget Bill 2008 which has been introduced in the East Legislative Assembly for debate and enactment into law. In a conciliatory move, the Extraordinary Council Meeting recommended to the Legislative Assembly to review the East African Community Bill, 2008 to ensure that the Bill complies with the provisions of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East Africa Community. The Council directed the Secretariat to convene an inter-organ Consultative Forum for exchange of views on the different roles and functions of the EAC organs as soon as possible.


Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs


EAC


Arusha

EAC CONGRATULATE PRESIDENT ELECT BARRACK OBAMA

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EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SECRETARIAT
P.O. Box 1096
ARUSHA, TANZANIA
Tel: 255-27-2504253/8
Fax: 255-27-2504255/2504481
E-mail: eac@eachq.org
Our Ref: ADM/30
Date: 4 November 2008

H.E. Excellency Barack Obama
President Elect of the United States of America
Washington D.C.
USA

It is with great joy and pride that, on behalf of the East African Community, and on my own behalf, I extend to your Excellency warm congratulations on your historic election as the 44th President of the United States of America.

Your election is a defining moment in American history. It has reverberated on a global scale and has given hope to a new world order. East Africa is especially proud of your ascendancy to the pinnacle of world leadership, given your East African roots.

The rallying mantra of Change and Yes, We Can! touched the hearts and minds of everybody who looks forward to the United States regaining an ethical stature in world politics and economics.

We wish your Excellency good health, happiness and success in your great mission. We look forward to the period ahead of strengthened relations between the East African Community and your great country.

Accept, your Excellency, the assurance of my highest consideration.

(SIGNED)

Amb. Juma V. Mwapachu
SECRETARY GENERAL

– – –
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 02:27:12 -0800 (PST)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: EAC CONGRATULATE PRESIDENT ELECT BARRACK OBAMA

EAC EARNS KUDOS FROM GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

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– Diplomats review performance, praise “increasingly dynamic and achieving” East African Community –

By Leo Odera Omolo

: The Annual Meeting of the EAC Partnership Fund was held in Arusha on 3 November 2008. The meeting was chaired by the Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb Juma Mwapachu. It was attended by senior officials of EAC and the representatives of Belgium ,
Finland ,
France , Federal Republic of Germany,
Ireland , Japan ,
Norway ,
Sweden , Canada ,
Republic of Korea ,
United Kingdom ,
European Commission and the World Bank, SIDA, GTZ, DFID and CIDA who are participating in the EAC Partnership Fund. The meeting reviewed the performance of the EAC Partnership Fund since its commencement of operations in July 2006.

The EAC Partnership Fund was established in 2006 to rationalize the use, and improve the co-ordination and accounting of the development partners’ resources earmarked for support of the East African Community’s priority programmes. Since the establishment of the Fund, the identification of the programmes, the implementation and accounting of projects has benefited from the application of clear guidelines apportioning roles and responsibilities to the development partners on the one hand and the East African Community on the other.

Secretary General satisfied at performance of Partnership Fund

Addressing the opening session of the Meeting the Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Juma Mwapachu said the review was necessary to enable the parties of the Partnership Fund to have a clearer appreciation of the impact, achievements and any shortcomings of the Fund. He said the review of the Fund’s performance would lead to a mutual understanding on how to improve the Fund’s systems and operations and renew commitment to the EAC development partnership.

The Secretary General noted that with the initial disbursement of contributions amounting to 645,000 USD to start off the Fund in FY 2007/08, the resources of the Fund rose to USD 1.9 million during the same Financial Year when the development partners increased their contributions.

The main activities and projects that were supported during this first phase of the implementation of the Fund included the ongoing negotiations of the Protocol on the EAC Common Market , various activities of Fast Tracking the integration of Rwanda and Burundi, Capacity Building for the EAC Secretariat ; and support to key Studies and consultancies. The expenditure rate of 93.6% was realized during that Financial Year.

The Secretary General expressed satisfaction at the performance of the Fund; and thanked the development partners for their sustained robust support of the Fund. He said that partly on account of the good expenditure performance, but also due to the demands of the expanding regional programme, the development partners had been willing to increase their contributions to the Fund. In the current 2008/09 FY, the development partners have committed USD 7.7 million under the Partnership Fund.

Apart from the Partnership Fund programmes, the development partners are supporting various projects and programmes outside the Partnership Fund, in particular, the EAC programmes under the 10th EDF (European Development Fund), covering Infrastructure Programmes; Political Integration; Natural Resources Development and Food Security; as well as projects under the Regional Integration Support Programme (RISP) which would focus on the consolidation of the EAC Customs Union; conclusion of negotiations and implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol; the EPA implementation and monitoring; laying the foundation for the formation of EAC Monetary Union; enhancing Private-Public-Partnership ; and Institutional development of the EAC Secretariat , Organs and Institutions.

EAC-development partners relations based on mutual benefit, respect and trust

Among the highlights of the ongoing development partners’ resources mobilization and utilization in the immediate past period have been: the support by Germany to the EAC Headquarters construction with a grant of 14 million Euros, in addition to the various supports through the GTZ programme and contribution to the Partnership Fund; the support by the World Bank to the Lake Victoria Basin Commission of USD 200,000 ; and the support by SIDA to the regional HIV-AIDS Programme of Swedish Kronor 27,500,000 for five years.

Also on stream are Finland’s commitment of 1.5 million Euros out of which 1 million Euros has been deposited in the Partnership Fund Account; Denmark’s disbursement of USD 1.5 million, not to mention Germany, Norway and Sweden for their contributions in the past two years; the EU support in various programmes under RISP, Regional Information Technology Support Programme ( RICTSP ) and Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (CPMR) ; the commitment of support by DFID for various programmes that is at an advanced stage of conclusion; and the arrival of New Members, with Belgium and France set to sign their MOUs with EAC; while the governments of Holland and Ireland are in the process of finalizing documentations for joining the Partnership Fund.

The Secretary General said the EAC development partnership has been carefully nurtured over the years between the EAC and its development partners and has reached a high point of maturity. He said that the evolution of fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship between EAC and its development partners has been deliberate within the context of the common pursuit of a principled economic partnership of mutual concern, mutual benefit, mutual trust and mutual respect.

He said the EAC was committed to strengthening the coordination and harmonization mechanism of the Partnership Fund and that, to this extent, every close attention would be paid to strengthening the EAC Projects Implementation Unit with a view to increasing its capacity to monitor, implement and effectively report on the supported projects and programmes.

EU Head of Delegation lauds increasingly visible, efficient EAC

Speaking on behalf of the development partners, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Tanzania , Ambassador Tim Clarke commended the EAC for its increasingly dynamic posture. He said the EAC was becoming more visible, efficient and effective and its value and impact was being felt and widely appreciated by the people. He said the increased contributions to the Partnership Fund as well as growth in the membership of the Fund was indicative of the recognition of the importance and great potential of the Partnership Fund as a key contributor to the realization of EAC’s development objectives.

Amb. Clarke said the EAC had entered a definitive phase of deepening integration with the ongoing negotiations of the Common Market and the EPAs, the process of the Tripartite – EAC, SADC and COMESA – Arrangement; and the overall enlargement of the Community with the integration of Rwanda and Burundi . He said these developments had generated great interest, lively debate and discourse in the regional media about the EAC which demonstrated health y interest in EAC affairs and growing popular appreciation of the importance of the regional organization.

endsleooderaomolo@yahoo.com

– – –
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 04:59:20 -0800 (PST)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: EAC EARNS KUDOS FROM GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

Fw: RE: EAC PRESS RELEASE – SIXTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

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e01.txt
Hallo,

Kindly urgently view the attached Press Release.

-SIXTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

View document;

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community (EAC)
Arusha International Conference Centre
Ngorongoro Wing, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 1096, Arusha
Tanzania.
www.eac.int <http://www.eac.int>

– – –
Date:  Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:42:40 -0700 (PDT)
From:  Leo Odera Omolo
Subject:   Fw: RE: EAC PRESS RELEASE – SIXTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY;
PRESS RELEASE 16th COUNCIL 130908 3.doc application/msword 282.58 KB

Fw: SPECIAL e-ISSUE ON THE SIXTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

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Forwarded By Leo Odera Omnolo

— On Wed, 9/17/08, EAC News <eac-news@eachq.org> wrote:
From: EAC News <eac-news@eachq.org>
Subject: SPECIAL e-ISSUE ON THE SIXTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY
To:
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 11:50 PM

SPECIAL e-ISSUE ON THE SIXTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

Hallo,

Kindly urgently view the attached

e-SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE SIXTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

EAC e-special Issue September.pdf application/pdf 2293.56 KB

read or d/l

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community (EAC)
Arusha International Conference Centre
Ngorongoro Wing, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 1096, Arusha
Tanzania.
www.eac.int <http://www.eac.int>

– – –
Date:  Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:59:57 -0700 (PDT)
From:  Leo Odera Omolo
Subject:  Fw: SPECIAL e-ISSUE ON THE SIXTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

REGIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS IN EAST AFRICA MET IN DAR ES SALAAM AND DISCUSSED THE STRATEGIES ON HOW TO COMBAT AL QAEDA TERRORISM IN THE REGION.

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo

More than 60 counter-terrorism security experts from East African nations have been meeting in the Tanzanian capital of Dar Es Salaam this week where they discussed ways and strategies of combating terrorism in the region and globally.

Lt.General Abdulrahaman Shimbo, the Chief of Staff of the Tanzania People¢s Defense Force{TPDF} was ealier in the week quoted by media houses as saying that the security experts were to discuss strategies and capacity building in peace and security for Eastern African region.

The six days meeting, which ended last evening {Thursday 12th September,2008} was attended by participants from Kenya, Uganda,Burindi, Rwanda and the host Tanzania.

Lt. Gen Shimbo was further quoted as explaining that the crucial security meeting was organized by the East African Community{EAC}, in line with implementation of the Community¢s memorandum of understanding on co-operation and defense.

The Dar meeting was the second in a series that are being held in the region to sensitize its people on security matters. The first one on disaster management was held in Uganda from August 25-29,while one on peace support operations is scheduled to be hekld in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi from September 15-18.

Another meeting on managing defense in a democratic society will be held in Rwanda capital, Kigali between October 20-24 ,while another one on conflict prevention, management and resolution will be held in Bujumbura, Burundi from September 17-22.

These series of crucially important securing meetings are being urgently organized on the understanding that Eastern Africa region is vulnerable to terrorism attacks by Al Qaeda operatives and agents believes to be operating from Somalia in the Horn of Africa, where the terrorists outfit operate theiur active cells in that ungovernable country of Africa.

Just a month ago, Kenyan security agents alerted their Tanzanian counterparts on one dreadful and dangerous terrorist Fazul Abdul Mohammed who is widely believed to be an Al Qaeda linkman in the region and who is suspected to have master minded the August 7, 1998terrorist bombing of the US embassies simultaneously in both Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam. However, intensive hunt for Fazul by both Tanzanian and Kenyan security agents did not yield in the suspected terrorist being nubbed. He was never traced despite concerted efforts by both Kenyan and Tanzania security agents. He is believed to be holed up in his hideout in one of Kenya¢;s coastal towns near Mombasa.

Dar meeting had coincided with the TPDF¢s 44 anniversary. The force has ever since its inception forty four years ago when it was launched by the Tanzanian founding president the late Dr. Julius Kambarage Nyerere contributed significantly to liberation struggles in Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe and in South Africa.

The TPDF has in recent years been actively participating in peace keeping missions in Darfur, Sudan and in Lebanon.

Most recently the TPDF, along side forces from Sudan, Senegal participated under the auspices of the African Union{AU} mandated ousting the self proclaimed Anjoan president Mohamed Bacar of the Comoros Island,

In 1979 and 1980, the TPDF joined hands with the Uganda exiled forces and fought the bloody war that ousted the former despotic ruler of Uganda the late Field Marshall Dr. Idi Amin Dada and brought down his murderous regime in Uganda.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

– – –
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:58:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: REGIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS IN EAST AFRICA MET IN DAR ES SALAAM AND DISCUSSED THE STRATEGIES ON HOW TO COMBAT AL QAEDA TERRORISM IN THE REGION.

PRESIDENT KAGAME ADDRESS TO THE EA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY IN KIDALI

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ADDRESS BY H.E. PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA AND CHAIRMAN OF THE SUMMIT OF EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE AT THE 2ND MEETING OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE EAST AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

It is an honour for me to address you on this occasion of the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the East African Legislative Assembly sitting in Kigali.

I welcome you and hope you enjoy our Rwandan warmth and hospitality.

I take this opportunity to congratulate you, honourable Speaker, and members, on your election to the Second East African Legislative Assembly. I am sure the new legislators from the new partner states – Burundi and Rwanda feel very welcome in the Assembly.

I wish you all a fruitful term in the service of the people of East Africa.

Honourable Speaker,

This Assembly is meeting at a time when I have assumed the Chairmanship of the EAC Summit, thereby providing an occasion to share thoughts on the direction of our Community.

To begin with, the accession of Rwanda and Burundi into the EAC family offers many opportunities and benefits as we seek to deepen our integration. The challenge is to ensure that the citizens of the two new partner states are equally and equitably represented in the organs of the Community.

This means that the structures and systems of the EAC should accommodate the needs of the enlarged community. It is therefore critical that we urgently articulate a roadmap for achieving these objectives.

Second, we are reviewing the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. This Treaty has served the Community for the last eight years and now needs to be updated to meet the demands of deeper integration, and to govern robust and timely delivery of our obligations.

Third, our Community is in the process of negotiating a Common Market Protocol.

Negotiations started here in Kigali in February this year and I am informed they are proceeding well. The Protocol will contain important provisions that will facilitate free movement of goods, persons, labour, services and capital. It is also expected to include the rights of establishment, and of residence. These negotiations are set to conclude early next year so that we can reach our goal of a Common Market by June 2009.

Fourth, our Community will address the creation in East Africa of world-class infrastructure necessary for regional and international trade. It is fundamental that we solve the crippling shortfalls in rail, roads, ports and harbours as well as telecommunications facilities.

This is not enough however.

While for example the Customs Union is enabling some free movement of goods across our borders, a host of non-tariff barriers continue to raise the cost of doing business and render our region uncompetitive.

On this matter, I wish to note the commendable progress that has taken place in partner states starting with measures taken by the Government in Kenya and other states continue to take steps in this direction. We, in Rwanda are committed to this path and stand ready to have our border crossings open twenty-four hours.

Honourable Speaker,

As we move forward on a deeper and wide ranging integration agenda, it is important that we enhance cooperation with other Economic Communities within our continent, as well as with our major trading partners in Europe, the United States and beyond.

In this context, an EAC-SADC-COMESA Tripartite Summit of Heads of State is scheduled for October this year in Kampala, to examine how these three regional economic communities can speedily move towards a free trade area, promote transport corridors and joint infrastructure initiatives.

With regards to Europe, since the signing of a framework Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union last November, progress has been made in developing a roadmap for full negotiations. An EAC-European Union meeting will take place in Bujumbura this month to finalise the implementation plan.

The EAC has also signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the United States aimed at improving US-EAC trade and investment and a comprehensive plan to take this forward is underway.

Let us bear in mind that East Africa¢s socioeconomic integration can only be realised with the business community spearheading innovation, generating wealth, creating employment and expanding the tax base of our region.

It is in this respect that we are encouraged by various efforts by the private sector in facilitating dialogue for promoting home-grown businesses and also to attract foreign investment into our region.

A case in point is the recent East African Investment Conference held in Kigali and similar initiatives planned for the coming months. I encourage all organs of the Community to work closely with the business sector in East Africa in order to make our region an attractive destination for domestic and international investment.

Honourable Speaker:

Let me now turn to some aspects relating to the East African Court of Justice.

The Court, as you know, has been restructured through the creation of two Chambers, a Court of First Instance and an Appellate Division. During the last Summit held in Kigali, Judges of the two Chambers were sworn in and have already gone through a strategy induction programme in Arusha.

The Court will require attention to enable it to exercise its duties efficiently. There is a need to revisit the terms and conditions of service for the Judges, as well as to clarify issues of the permanent seat of the Court and the reporting relationship between the Court and the Summit.

With regards to the East African Legislative Assembly, I appreciate the fact that you have an extensive agenda dealing with a number of important bills. I am confident you will examine them carefully and pass them expeditiously.

The EAC cannot achieve its vision of a dynamic, progressive and prosperous region without a strong oversight body to guide its healthy development and hold it accountable on behalf of East Africans.

It is therefore imperative that the East African Legislative Assembly is empowered and appropriately supported to fulfil its mandate. I am aware that you operate under budgetary and other constraints. I intend to consult with my colleagues to explore possibilities of addressing this important matter.

Honourable Speaker,

The issues I have raised require that all of us in the East African Community work towards the same vision. In this regard, I am in consultation with the Secretary General to organize a Strategy Retreat at an opportune time in the near future, which should bring together all the key EAC organs, to exchange views on how to strengthen our resolve and commitment to forging a common purpose. It will be my pleasure to participate in this retreat.

In conclusion, let me once again emphasize that integration is not an option but a vital instrument for growth and socioeconomic transformation.

Our region is not an exception.

We must move confidently into a higher stage of integration, based on bold and steadfast implementation of our East African development agenda.

I wish to thank you Honourable Speaker, for the invitation to address this august House.

It is now my great honour to declare open the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the East African Legislative Assembly.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION.

– – –
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:19:03 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: PRESIDENT KAGAME ADDRESS TO THE EA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY IN KIDALI

Fw: SPEECH EAC COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY TO MEDIA WORKSHOP 110908

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— On Thu, 9/11/08, Magaga Alot wrote:
From: Magaga Alot
Subject: SPEECH EAC COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY TO MEDIA WORKSHOP 110908
Date: Thursday, September 11, 2008, 1:36 AM

To All Correspondents

Please find as attached herewith text of Speech to Deutsche Welle Seminar for Media Practitioners on EAC Re-Branding Project for your kind attention and publicity in your media, in view of the immediate next stage that is about to be launched of system wide consultative and participatory process in the formulation and development of the new EAC Publicity and Marketing Strategy under the EAC Re-Branding Project.

Magaga Alot
Head, Directorate of Corporate
Communications and Public Affairs
EAC Secretariat
Arusha

– – –
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:54:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: SPEECH EAC COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY TO MEDIA WORKSHOP 110908

– – – – – – – – – – –

EAC’S
CLOSE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MEDIA – EAC RE-BRANDING PROJECT

Speech
by Mr. Magaga Alot, Principal Information and Public Relations
Officer/ Head, EAC Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public
Affairs during the Deutsche Welle Seminar for East African Media
Practitioners


DIK
DIK HOTEL, ARUSHA, 10 SEPTEMBER 2008


As
located among other developing countries within the
globalizing world, the EAC project is a powerful intervention to lift
the East African region from centuries old marginalization and
exploitation by better organized communities in the world society.
This marginalization is complex and comprehensive and involves the
relegation of the developing world in the global economic as well as
information society.


Recognizing
this predicament, the Treaty for the Establishment of the East
African Community envisions the transformation of East Africa from
its current state of relative underdevelopment into a fast
modernizing region of the world. The Treaty
underscores that the East African regional integration process shall
be people-centered. The people are the actors and the beneficiaries
of the regional integration process, from the decision making to the
implementation stages of the regional projects and programmes.


The
EAC therefore attaches great importance to the role of the Media in
promoting awareness, discourse and involvement of
the broad range of stakeholders in the East African regional
integration process. Indeed, as the regional integration process
intensifies, the EAC is challenged more and more today to achieve and
demonstrate greater efficiency and effectiveness as
well as more visibility of its activities, achievements and
competitiveness in the region and beyond.


When
the people are aware of the Community, see it and feel its presence,
they would appreciate more and acknowledge its benefits and
prospects. They would get increasingly invested in the Community and
participate in its projects and programmes as well as apply positive
pressure on the leadership to ensure the viability and sustainability
of the Community.


It
is in this context that the EAC has, over the years, maintained close
engagement with the Media. We have constantly knocked on the doors of
the Media with appeals for all kinds of support to the EAC
information, education and advocacy effort.


The
success with which we have pursued this cause may be a moot point.
The EAC development story may not be as dramatic and headline
catching as the Media would crave it to be. The EAC projects and
programmes – long on workshops, seminars and studies – may not be
concrete enough to command livid Media or any attention. And the
East African public – both the leaders and the led – may be
preoccupied with more pressing, usually sensational, political
and other national issues and inclined therefore to constantly
postpone their attention to the regional agenda.



Be that as it may, rather than relax or relent, engage in hand
wringing, whining and pining, we intend to intensify these contacts
with the Media; do all we can and it takes, to improve on how the
EAC may effectively facilitate and empower the Media to enhance its
contribution to the EAC marketing and publicity effort. In this
regard, the EAC may have to constantly seek innovative ways and
means, including structural and overall capacity enhancement of the
IEC function, to render the EAC story more appealing and
compelling to the attention of the large audience. The Media
themselves may have to take deliberate interest in the development
story and as well seek innovative ways and means of presenting
it in captivating ways to their audiences.



These are the challenges that both the EAC and the Media must face
squarely in a collaborative effort to promote responsible development
journalism and positive sensitization of the East African people on
the regional integration and development agenda in view of what we
all acknowledge as the great and overriding importance of regional
integration for the benefit of the present and future generations.



We have therefore sustained these efforts and finally, since the
beginning of 2007, the EAC Re-Branding Project was launched
intended to involve the formulation and implementation of a new,
more dynamic EAC Marketing and Publicity Strategy and incorporate
the establishment of the EAC Directorate of Corporate
Communications and Public Affairs.



In pursuit of the project, in April 2007, the EAC held the first East
African Media Summit in Nairobi that was very successful, attended by
over 100 top media owners and practitioners of the EAC countries –
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda. The East African Media
Summit was the first major activity under the EAC Re-Branding
Project.



The EAC Media Summit has been institutionalized as an annual event in
the regional calendar with the holding of its second edition in Dar
es Salaam in April this year that was attended by over 150 high
profile media personalities in the EAC region, including Owners and
Chief Executives of Media Houses, Media Executives, Publishers,
Editors and Senior Practitioners from all the five EAC countries.



The impact and import of the Media Summit was probably best
summarized by the Secretary General of the East African Community,
Amb. Juma Mwapachu when, during the closing of the Dar es Salaam
Media Summit on 12 April 2008, he said that, “the spirit of the
East Africa Media Summit is solidifying. Indeed, the East African
Media could become a strong brand that we could henceforth market in
the region. We are evolving an East African Media brand that we can
use to promote EAC identity and image”.



The EAC Re-Branding Project, though still largely a works in progress
is nevertheless a bold and ambitious scheme to enhance the visibility
and promote a positive and dynamic image of the EAC. The project
envisages substantial commitment of resources in the Corporate
Communications and Public Affairs function of the Community for,
among others, establishment of the EAC Media Centre that is geared to
apply advanced systems and technology in its print and electronic
media promotions. The EAC Media Centre is already operational,
initially with weekly Media briefings and it is planned the Centre
will be officially inaugurated on 30 September 2008.



Even more relevant to Deutsche Welle, I would inform you that in the
restructuring and revamping of the EAC Marketing and Publicity
effort, we intend to install a modern Radio and TV production and
dissemination facility at the EAC Headquarters that will link with
broadcast stations in providing quality, timely and in-depth
reporting about the EAC, including live reporting of important
events. This facility is about to be put in place with the
collaboration of the East African Public Broadcasters Association
that has been established as one of the inspirations and
initiatives of the East African Media Summit.



In the continuing revamping of the EAC corporate communications, the
new look EAC Website has been introduced following the recruitment of
the services of a Web Master, Web Editor and ICT/Information
Assistant under the EAC Re-Branding Project. The Directorate of
Corporate Communications and Pubic Affairs has also published new
generation EAC publications that have included the EAC Annual Report
(July 2006- June 2007), The EAC Update and other corporate
brochures as well as introduced a regular (fortnightly- weekly) EAC
e-newsletter.



No doubt, the EAC Re-Branding Project will rely heavily on the
collaboration of the Media for its success. In particular, we would
like to engage with the broadcast media in promoting continuous news
coverage of EAC activities, including the deliberations of the East
African Legislative Assembly; incorporation of regular EAC feature
programmes; and special promotional programmes, particularly of
interactive nature, within the independent Media programming.


It
is recognized that the way the EAC manages its business determines
how the media accommodates/ gets interested in the organization.
Conversely, what the people know about the EAC stems less from
the processes the organization engages and more from what the media
puts out about the organization.


Depending,
therefore, on how effectively the EAC performs and promises, we hope
the Media will project and promote the EAC through positive Media
coverage. We would then have gone a long way to harnessing the force
and power of the Media to positive EAC outcomes as we look to the
period ahead of positive Media portrayal of the EAC and enhanced
popular awareness, appreciation and participation in the EAC
integration process.


On
the whole, the Media have sterling role to get the
region to embrace regional integration with passion, dedication and
commitment for the benefit of the present and future generations of
East Africans. We are confident that your hearts go out to
East Africa as ours do; and look forward to working closely with you
in promoting the East African Community.



With these remarks, I thank you for your interest in the East African
Community and wish you great success.

Fw: EAC PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT KAGAME PLEDGES NEW BRAND EAC

1 Reply

— On Tue, 9/2/08, Magaga Alot wrote:

From: Magaga Alot
Subject: EAC PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT KAGAME PLEDGES NEW BRAND EAC
Date: Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 4:45 AM

PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT KAGAME PLEDGES NEW BRAND OF EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

EAC Headquarters, Arusha, 2 September 2008: H.E. President Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and Chairperson of the Summit of Heads of State of the East African Community has said that time has come to turn around the EAC project and render it more effective and rapidly achieving.

President Kagame said that during his term as Chair of the EAC Summit he would marshal the collaborative effort of the Summit , all the organs and institutions of the Community , the broad spectrum of EAC stakeholders and the development partners to steer the East African Community to a new era of greater efficiency and effectiveness.

EAC delegation

President Kagame, who held a three hour Strategic Meeting with the Secretary General of the East African Community Juma Mwapachu and Senior EAC officials who called on him at the Office of the President in Kigali on 27 August 2008 , unveiled his vision of the 5-nation EAC regional bloc of 120 million population and a combined GDP of $50 billion.

The Secretary General was accompanied during the mission to Rwanda by Senior Officials of the East African Community: Amb. Julius Onen , Deputy Secretary General, Projects and Programmes; Hon Wilbert Kaahwa, Counsel to the Community; Dr Tom Okurut, Executive Secretary , Lake Victoria Basin Commission; Dr John Ruhangisa, Registrar, East African Court of Justice, Mr. Justin Bundi , Clerk to the East African Legislative Assembly ; Brigadier General Fred Tolit, Defence Liaison Officer; Mr. Philip Wambugu , Director, Planning and Infrastructure, Dr Nyamajeje Weggoro, Director, Productive and Social sectors; Dr Flora Musonda, Director of Trade, Mr. Magaga Alot , Head, Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs; Mr. Abdul Katabaro , Principal Administrative Officer; Ms Grace Okungu , Principal Human Resource Officer, and Mr. Henry Obbo , Chef de Cabinet.

Welcoming the EAC delegation, President Kagame said, “we are grateful to have worked with you and other partners in the region to make it possible for Rwanda and Burundi to join the Community and for giving us the honour, so soon thereafter , to chair the Summit…I understand clearly that the opportunity to chair the Summit does not represent any dramatic development but an opportunity to continue on the good path that has been laid . We’ll do our best to ensure that we can build on what there is to realize more efficiency and effectiveness in the integration process”.

President outlines priorities of dynamic EAC

President Kagame said the EAC was operating in a dynamic and challenging environment , adding that his contribution would be to render the EAC into a more efficient and effective regional organization that was focused on its mission to realize the expectations and desires of the East African people in greater liberty, unity and prosperity.

The President said among the regional projects that would receive priority attention, and moved to advanced stages of implementation during his tenure, were the ongoing regional infrastructure development master plans in roads, railways, inland waterways, ports and harbours as well as the Lake Victoria investments and development master plan.

He said that other priority projects and programmes would be the promotion of East Africa as a single tourist destination; the introduction of a common East African visa for tourists and business persons as well as intensification of the programme of elimination of non tariff barriers (NTBs) under the ongoing programme of the EAC Customs Union and the negotiations of the EAC Common Market. He sad the immediate measures would be aimed at reducing the costs of doing business in East Africa and, on the whole, promote East Africa as a competitive single market and investment area with a thrust on tourism, trade and investments promotion.

The President noted that the programme of marketing and promoting East Africa as a single tourist destination , which was launched in 2005, had proceed well with the EAC Partner States participating jointly in the leading travel and tourist source markets in Europe . The President directed the EAC tourist boards to extend the joint marketing of East Africa to Asia, Far East , Australia and America , stating that EAC had great tourist potential with significant multiplier effects on the economies of the five countries.

The President also noted that the aviation industry had great strategic significance to the EAC regional integration and development. He said the tourism industry would also be among the priorities of his tenure, including revival of the East African Flying School / East African Aviation School in Soroti , Uganda for training of pilots and aviation engineers. He said the aviation industry in East Africa would be revamped with promotion of investments to the sector to raise aviation standards and safety, open and safe skies and overall air traffic management in the region to the highest competitive levels.

Strengthening authority of EAC Secretariat

Meanwhile the EAC delegation during a three day (25-27 August 2008) Strategic consultative mission to Rwanda on the EAC integration process in Kigali addressed a series of meetings attended by Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Senior Officers of the Rwanda government.

During the launching session, the Counsel to the Community, Hon Wilbert Kaahwa reviewed the judicial and legal challenges facing the Community stating that the EAC concentrated its legal and judicial affairs on the promotion and protection of peoples rights within the Community. He said the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC which was signed in 1999 was currently being reviewed to address some of the challenges and shortcomings that have been noted during the past eight years as well as the demands of the EAC enlargement and expansion of the regional programme. Hon Kaahwa said the issue of sovereignty at the national level was at the core of the implementation bottlenecks the EAC was experiencing . He said that the issue of sovereignty should be revisited so that decisions are more binding and their implementation more expeditious.

Hon Kaahwa said the enforcement processes as well as the sanctions provided under the Treaty were weak. He quipped that the provisions were negotiated “more by diplomats than lawyers” , noting that the provisions of decision-making by consensus posed a great challenge to the Community’s performance adding that , “How do you enforce sanctions against a Partner State where you have decision by consensus and the Partner States are expected to take sanctions against one of them by consensus?” .

The Secretary General said that the requirement of decision making by consensus had posed a logjam on the operations of the Community which needed to be addressed by the Partner States ceding adequate authority to the EAC to speed up the decision making process and enable the EAC Secretariat to act with greater confidence and more decisively in implementing regional projects and programmes.

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
EAC
Arusha

– – –
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 05:26:34 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: EAC PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT KAGAME PLEDGES NEW BRAND EAC

EAST AFRICA STILL NOT SMOOTHLY TRADING WITH ITSELF DISPITE OF SIGNING THE CUSTOM UNION FIVE YEARS AGO

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News analysis by Leo Odera Omolo.

FOUR years after signing of the East African Community Custom Union protocol ,inter-regional trade volumes among EAC member states are yet to pick up.

A survey commissioned by the all powerful East African Business Council (EABC) has authoritatively revealed.

The survey found that the majority of businesses in the region think non-tariff barriers as the main impediment to the realization of this goal of the EAC Customs Union.

Poor road network,,high taxes and duties, extortion, delays by boarder officials and restrictions on importation of goods were felt to be major drawback in more than 15 percent of border towns in the region.

A truck driver transporting goods from the Kenya port of Mombasa to Kigali in Rwanda for example encounters more than 20 barriers setup by police inevitably delaying delivery of the goods in transit.

Despite the alarming situation there are no formal monitoring mechanisms for truck drivers cross border trades and clearing agents to report their experiences with non-tarriff trade barriers.

It is not surprising therefore that business in the EAC region opt to most of their requirements from the rest of the world.

Tanzania;s imports from the non-EAC world account for non 75 percent of its total imports, while the figure for Burundi is 43 percent imports from EAC countries by Kenyan and Tanzanian businesses account only for six and five percent of their total imports respectively.

Europe is the chief source of imports to the EAC countries, taking between seven and 14

Percent of the total.

This years EABC survey follows the “climate index for East Africa” done in 2003, a year before the customs union protocol was signed.

The study listed high border-crossing charges, lengthy bureaucratic checks and verification inspections by customs authorities as the main problems hindering the smooth flow of trade within EAC partner states.

Tragically five years after EABC recommendations on their eliminations on their, the business community in the region is still facing the same problem.

In the survey under review ,EABC calls for speedy implementation of the monitoring mechanism to fast-track elimination of NTBS in the EABC.

NTB monitoring mechanism was developed jointly by EABC and was adopted by the Council of Muslims in August 2006 with the objective of facilitating the process of identifying, reporting and monitoring the elimination of current and future NTBS in the EAC.

The director of customs in the EAC Kenneth Bagamugunda was recently quoted by the mass as saying; ” NTBS increase the cost of doing business, thus rendering the region uncompetitive.

This defeats EAC’s integration objective of developing a competitive private sector both in the region and globally.

The director said that one of the serious impediments of doing business in the EAC is the sorry state of infrastructure. The cost associated with congestion and delays at the ports telecommunications, poor road and railway networks are prohibitive air travel costs;

“all undermine the relative advantage of doing business in the region ,rendering products unable to compete with cheap and illegal imports and also incompetetive in export market”.

A Kenyan permanent secretary to the EAC David Nalo says there is an urgent need for immediate removal of NTBS if cross border trade is to realize efficiency.

The PS has urged both private and public sectors to activily take part in the process of implementation of the custom union.

” currently building needs assessment of the units charged with the responsibility for implementing the mechanism should also be considered as the basis for concerted capacity building intervention in support of EAC efforts for elimination os NTBS.” the report says.

Ends Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com.

– – –
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:11:03 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: EAST AFRICA STILL NOT SMOOTHLY TRADING WITH ITSELF DISPITE OF SIGNING THE CUSTOM UNION FIVE YEARS AGO.

Fw: EAC -PRESS RELEASES

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Forwarded by LEO Odera Omolo In Nairobi
— On Thu, 8/21/08, EAC News wrote:
From: EAC News
Date: Thursday, August 21, 2008, 12:11 AM

EAC -PRESS RELEASES

-Negotiations enter crucial stage of substantive issues of the EAC Common Market Protocol

-Regional airline vetting process gets underway

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community (EAC)
Arusha International Conference Centre
Ngorongoro Wing, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 1096, Arusha
Tanzania.
www.eac.int

– – –
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:06:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: EAC -PRESS RELEASEn

– – – – – – – – – – –

PRESS RELEASE
Negotiations enter crucial stage of substantive issues of the EAC Common Market Protocol

EAC Headquarters, Arusha, Wednesday, 20 August 2008: One hundred and fifty delegates, 30 each from the five EAC Partners States, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi who form the High Level Task Force (HLTF) on the Negotiation of the EAC Common Market Protocol entered the 3rd day of their second round of negotiations in Nairobi today.

For
the next three days, until 23 August when they end the 2nd round of the talks, the delegates, will tackle some of the more substantive issues of the proposed Protocol, i.e., the right of Establishment, the right of Residence, the Free Movement of Services, Transport and the Free Movement of Capital.

The
negotiations of these elements of the proposed Common Market Protocols are being conducted on the basis of a draft Model Common Market Protocol which highlights the cardinal requirements of the EAC Common Market that is intended to accelerate economic growth and development of the regional bloc with a sizeable population of 120 million and a combined GPD of $50 billion.

Under
the provisions for the right of establishment, the EAC countries seek to establish the right for an EAC citizen to install oneself, either as an individual, firm or company in a host State, for purposes of performing activities of an economic nature , albeit within certain conditions or limitations as will be agreed.

Under
the provisions for right of residence, the EAC countries seek to grant EAC citizens moving into any other EAC Partner State for purposes of seeking and carrying out income earning economic activities, the right to reside in the territory of that Partner State.

Under
the free movement of services, the EAC countries seek to facilitate trade and investment in EAC and, to this extent, will consider the prohibition of any discrimination to EAC citizens on the basis of nationality in respect to the provision of services. It is recognized that services constitute the engine of economic growth and underpin the smooth operation of the EAC Common Market, hence the need to liberalize the provision of services in the region.

On transport, the EAC countries recognize the critical role that an efficient transport system plays in economic growth and development. The ability to move people and goods efficiently is a central requirement of the EAC goal for a dynamic economy and cohesive society. The transport industry straddles the economic performance and plays an intermediate role in the economy, from production to markets. The draft Protocol recommends, among others, for the creation of a properly structured Transport Authority to address multi-modal transport development in air, roads, rail, inland waterways and maritime transport.

On
free movement of capital, it is recognized that it is at the heart of a Common Market. The draft Protocol envisages prohibition of any obstacles to the free movement of capital such that EAC citizens should be able to transfer money between Partner States; open bank accounts; invest funds or borrow money in other Partner States; and buy shares in non-domestic companies; and, on the whole, the Partner States should liberalize their capital accounts. Currently, within EAC, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya have fully liberalized their capital accounts while Tanzania and Burundi have yet to do so.

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs

East African Community

Arusha

– – – – – – – – – – –

Regional airline vetting process gets underway
EAC Headquarters, Arusha, August 20, 2008

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA) has embarked on a re-certification exercise for airlines in the region, the CASSOA Executive Director Mtesigwa Maugo has said.

The exercise, which is to be conducted in five phases, commenced on Tuesday, August 19 and concludes on Tuesday, August 26. The first phase involves pre-application, where operators meet with CASSOA for a briefing on the entire exercise. The next four stages are; formal application (by operators), evaluation of documents (by CASSOA), demonstration (physical assessment of operators’ systems and equipment) and approval for operation (by CASSOA).

As part of the exercise, representatives of all the region’s major carriers will meet with CASSOA and the agency’s appointed aviation experts in Arusha. Kenya Airways and East African Safari Express were in Arusha on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively, and Tanzanian carriers Air Tanzania (Thursday) and Precision Air (Friday) were due to follow before Uganda’s Air Uganda and Eagle Air complete the phase early next week.

The re-certification exercise follows the end of a one-year grace period provided to carriers to make necessary adjustments to new regional aviation requirements – put in place after a the East African Community Partner States of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda harmonized air safety regulations. Rwandan and Burundian carriers, from the two countries that only joined the EAC last year, are yet to be included in this arrangement.

Airlines that do not meet the basic standards set by CASSOA will be not certified, Mr Maugo said. He added however, that the agency, working through its experts and local civil aviation authorities will help such carriers achieve the minimum standards set by the regional body.

CASSOA was set up in April 2007 to help Partner States implement recommended standards and ensure a safe and secure aviation industry in the region.

ENDS

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community
Arusha

Fw: PRESS RELEASE EAC DSW GERMAN FOUNDATION SIGN MoU AUGUST 2008

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PRESS RELEAS
EEAC- GERMAN FOUNDATION FOR WORLD POPULATION SIGN MoU

EAC Headquarters,
Arusha,Tanzania,
Monday 18 August 2008:

The East African Community (EAC) and the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) have today (18 August 2008) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at providing technical and human resource support to implement health and other population related programmes in the EAC Partner States, through the EAC Health Sector Unit in Arusha, Tanzania. The Deputy Secretary General (Finance and Administration) of the East African Community,Dr. Julius Tangus Rotichsigned on behalf of the EAC, while the Executive Director of the German Foundation for World Population, Ms. Renate Bahrsigned on behalf of her organization. Other officials presentwere:
the EAC PrincipalLegal Officer, Mr. Stephen K. Agaba,
DSWDirector for Development Programmes based in Nairobi, Ms Ulrike Neubert
and the DSWCountry Director, Mr. Peter K.Munene.

Dr. Julius Tangus Rotich said the EAC-DSW MoU comes at a time when the expanded Community needs a robust health and other population related programmes to spur both social and economic development in the region. He said EAC health issues are crosscutting and central to development in East Africa and that the region is characterized by demographic features that are compounded by worsening reproductive health problems and HIV/AIDS pandemic, and increasing youth population, gender inequality and women’s lack of empowerment.

Ms. Renate Bahr said DSW’s main goal is to help people free themselves from poverty.In that context, DSW supports family planning and sexual and reproductive health projects in Africa and Asia. She said DSW’s premise is simple; “only if people are able to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and HIV/AIDS do they have the chance to lead a healthier and better life”. “In thatrespect reaching young people is key and young people are the parents of tomorrow and crucial to the development of their country. Investing in their health means investing in a better future”, Ms. Renate Bahr observed.

According to the MoU,
EAC is to undertake several commitments, among them, to mainstream population, reproductive health, gender and youth dimensions into its policies, programmes and strategies in line with the Dakar/Ngor Declaration, the ICPD/PoA, the MDGs and the Maputo Plan of Action;
to integrate population, health, gender and youth issues into regional development debates within East Africa by incorporating them in the EAC’s agenda for regional, national, sub-national meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops and other fora;
to provide leadership in population and development advocacy, including the harmonization of population and social development policies as well as sensitizing parliamentarians and diplomatic representatives of the EAC Partner States on the current reproductive health situation in East Africa;
to incorporate critical health issues into the agenda of the EAC Secretariat, and its Organs/Institutions;
and to strengthen collaboration with national health and population institutions within the EAC Partner States.

In the MoU, the DSW is to provide technical and human resource support to the EAC to, among others document and disseminate progress towards the MDGs, ICPD/PoA, Maputo Plan of Action and other consensus reached at national, regional, continental and international levels, with emphasis on maternal and child mortality reduction, increased access to quality reproductive health products and services, gender equality and women’s empowerment, girls education, and youth development through information, education and skills development; at the level of EAC Partner States and at the level of the EAC’s regional entities.

DSW will also strengthen policy advocacy and monitoring progress vis-à-vis the above and enhance the technical capacity of the EAC Secretariat; as well as facilitate regional advocacy for a. It will also develop and maintain a database of strategic partners in the region, and facilitate communication and information sharing with them.

The EAC and DSW are expected to jointly develop a detailed work plan and budget for implementation and resource mobilization purposes. The German Foundation for World Population (DSW) is an international development organization founded in 1991 as a private non-profit foundation in Hannover, Germany. Besides the Head Office in Hannover, DSW also has Country Offices in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, as well as an EU Liaison Office in Brussels.

DSW is politically and religiously independent and relies on private donations and financial support from other organizations, foundations and agencies to carry out its activities. Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department, EAC Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania.

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– – –
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:51:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: PRESS RELEASE EAC DSW GERMAN FOUNDATION SIGN MoU AUGUST 2008

Fw: RE: East African Community e-Newsletter 2008/10 Attached

Leave a reply

Fowarded by Leo Odera Omolo Kisumu 11th August 20087

— On Sat, 8/9/08, Dr. Nyamajeje Weggoro wrote:

From: Dr. Nyamajeje Weggoro
Subject: RE: East African Community e-Newsletter 2008/10 Attached
Date: Saturday, August 9, 2008, 5:41 AM

Thank you. The news content is very interesting. Is the Newsletter supposed to trace EAC wide activities and report on them? It is just a honest question.

From: Steve M. Machage
Sent: 08 August 2008 19:55
Subject: East African Community e-Newsletter 2008/10 Attached

East African Community e-Newsletter 2008/10 Attached
In this Issue
· EAC to take defence co-operation to higher level

· Secretary General Holds Talks with British Peer, Lord Lea of Crondall

· Steady stream of stakeholders on study tour

· Finland contributes 1.6m Euros to EAC

· US Envoy visits EAC Secretariat

· Appointments

Editor¢s Note

The contents of the e-EAC newsletter can be freely reproduced, broadcast, published in whole or in part free of charge provided the source is acknowledged.

The views expressed in the newsletter do not necessarily represent those of the EAC Secretariat.

Feedbacks and comments are encouraged to

eac-updates@eachq.org

EAC Update e-newsletter is published fortnightly on Fridays by the
Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community (EAC)

You can also download the e-newsletter at www.eac.int

Steve Machage
Information/ICT Assistant
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
East African Community Secretariat
P.O. Box 1096 Arusha, TANZANIA
(: +254 724544494
): +255 724921093
8: machage@eachq.org
:: http://www.eac.int

– – –
Date: Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:46:42 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: RE: East African Community e-Newsletter 2008/10 Attached

Fw: PRESS RELEASE EAC DEFENCE CO-OPERATION

Leave a reply

THIS STORY IS FORWARDED BY LEO ODERA OMOLO

— On Fri, 8/8/08, Magaga Alot wrote:

From: Magaga Alot
Subject: PRESS RELEASE EAC DEFENCE CO-OPERATION
Date: Friday, August 8, 2008, 7:29 AM

PRESS RELEASE

EAC TO TAKE DEFENCE CO-OPERATION TO HIGHER LEVEL

EAC Headquarters, Arusha, 8 August 2008: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu has said the EAC Partner States – Kenya , Uganda , Tanzania , Burundi and Rwanda – are set to take their defence co-operation to a higher level. The Secretary General said that among the steps being taken is upgrading the existing 1998 Memorandum of Understanding for Co-operation in Defence Matters into a Protocol that would be more elaborate and binding on the EAC Partner States.

The Secretary General said this on 4 August 2008, when he paid a courtesy call on the Kenya Minister of State for Defence, Mr Yusuf Haji at the Defence Headquarters in Nairobi at the beginning of his four-day (4-7 August) familiarization tour of defence institutions and establishments in Kenya that are involved in the EAC co-operation agreement on defence matters.

Deepening defence co-operation

During the familiarization tour, the Secretary General visited the Moi Air Force Base in Nairobi , the Kenya Armed Forces Technical College (KAFTEC) at Embakasi , Nairobi as well as military installations in Eldoret and Mombasa ; and concluded with a keynote lecture to course participants at the National Defence College at Karen, Nairobi on 7 August 2008.

The Secretary General’s visit to the defence institutions in Kenya follows similar visits he made in 2007 to the defence institutions in Tanzania and Uganda . The Kenyan tour that had been planned for September 2007 was postponed due to the elections campaigns that were taking place in the country at the time.

During the courtesy call on the Defence Headquarters, on 4 August, the Secretary General and the Kenyan Minister of State for Defence, who was accompanied by the Chief of General Staff, General Jeremiah Kianga, held discussions on a wide range of issues in the ongoing process of deepening and widening EAC defence co-operation.

The discussions centred on the deliberations of upgrading the MOU on defence co-operation into a Protocol; a project on co-operation in defence policy research and development; joint EAC military exercises planned to be undertaken during 2009/2010; and the establishment of the EAC Directorate of Peace and Security whose preparations are at an advanced stage.

The Secretary General who was accompanied by Members of the EAC Defence Liaison Unit from the five EAC Partner States on 4 August, toured the Moi Air Force Base where he was received by the Commander of the Kenya Air Force, Major General Harold Mwakio Tangoi; and also visited the Kenya Armed Forces Technical College (KAFTEC) at Embakasi where he was briefed on the operations of the college by the Commandant of KAFTEC, Col. H.O. Malweyi.

Development dimension of defence establishment

The Secretary General toured the munitions production plant at the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation (KOFC) in Eldoret on 5 August 2008. The Secretary General was taken round the production lines of the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation by the Management of the Corporation led by the Managing Director, Brigadier S.G. Mohammed. The Management of KOFC briefed the Secretary General on the agricultural projects, environment and water management as well as community development projects, in health and educational development, which the local and wider civil society and business community are participating in and benefiting from.

The Secretary General said that he was impressed by the application of modern advanced technology in the KOFC munitions plant, noting also that the KOFC was engaged in the production and provision of quality products for civilian uses as well as input to the commercial demand. He advanced a new ethos of the armed forces in the EAC region which, he said, should combine their core values of high military preparedness with corporate social responsibility; and increasingly put military resources to civilian advantage

The Secretary General said the EAC is making plans to bring similar defence institutions in the EAC Partner States together to harmonize their technological capabilities to exchange views and experiences towards rationalizing their utilization of resources and investments and benefiting from the economies of scale to avoid wasteful duplication as well as addressing, in concert, other implications and ramifications of the armaments industry.

East African maritime defence

During the visit to the Kenya Navy Headquarters in Mombasa on 6 August 2008 the Secretary General and his entourage were taken round the Kenya Navy dockyard and briefed on the operations of the Kenya Navy and held discussions with the Deputy Commander of the Kenya Navy, Brigadier Ngewa Mukala.

Brigadier Mukala briefed the Secretary General on the strategic significance of the East African Indian Ocean coastline and the important initiatives Kenya is undertaking within the EAC, AU and global frameworks to safeguard the regional security and maritime interests. Brigadier Mukala said that anti-piracy and counter-terrorism operations had assumed a high profile in the East African and Horn of Africa coastline. Maritime security services had come to the fore with the realization that disturbances and interference with the sea routes gravely impacted the world trade.

He said that with the current global food and fuel prices crisis, the resources of the sea had become critical. He said the resources of the East African maritime zones remained largely untapped by the East African countries in terms of the fisheries, oil and gas resources potential of the East African maritime area under the provisions of the UN Law of the Sea. Brigadier Mukala said the best tuna fish resources were found in the Indian Ocean with Kenya having a potential of 150,000 tonnes per year, translating into 30 billion Kenya Shillings per year, but which were currently being exploited virtually exclusively by foreign interests.

Lake Victoria basin development

The Secretary General said that the EAC is considering the re-establishment of a strong East African marine and fisheries organization, such as which existed under the former EAC (1967-1977) that would involve research and development to tap the maritime and fisheries resources of the East African water bodies – both offshore and inland – for the benefit of the East African people.

The Secretary General also addressed the Lake Victoria development prospects. He said the EAC has plans to launch a major Lake Victoria Basin development master plan that would transform the area into a special economic development and growth zone and impact the acceleration of the East African region into a middle income economy. Lake Victoria , the second largest fresh water body in the world has a gross economic potential in the order of USD 5 billion.

The Secretary General said a study on the proposed EAC Lake Victoria basin development master plan would be undertaken adding that the master plan would involve the implementation of regional projects and programmes under the Lake Victoria Basin Commission in, among others, the roads, lake transport, tourism, fisheries and agricultural sectors.

The Secretary General said the centre-piece of the Lake Victoria development master plan would be the implementation of the ongoing ring road around the Lake, which is part of the East African Road Network Project, with feeders leading to the shores of the Lake to link with tourist facilities, hotels, lodges, cruise ships as well as strategic industries that would involve investments with private public sector participation.

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
EAC
Arusha

– – –
Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2008 02:11:48 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: PRESS RELEASE EAC DEFENCE CO-OPERATION

Fw: PRESS RELEASE EAC ON DEVELOPMENT DIMENSION OF MILITARY

Leave a reply

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS FORWARDED BY LEO ODERA OMOLO

— On Tue, 8/5/08, magaga a lot wrote:

From: magaga a lot
Subject: Fw: PRESS RELEASE EAC ON DEVELOPMENT DIMENSION OF MILITARY
To: ubwanizg@gmail.com, jamhurry@yahoo.com, Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2008, 1:16 PM

EAC COMMENDS DEVELOPMENT DIMENSION OF DEFENSE ESTABLISHMENT

EAC Headquarters, Arusha, 5 August 2008: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Juma Mwapachu has advanced a new ethos of the armed forces in the EAC region which, he said, should combine their core values of high military preparedness with corporate social responsibility; and increasingly put military resources to civilian advantage. The Secretary General said the military should shed image that is ingrained in the popular psyche of an establishment that is only concerned with activities of armed engagement in battles and wars.

The Secretary General made these observations during the tour of the munitions production plant at the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation (KOFC) in Eldoret, 5 August 2008 on the second day of his four-day (4-7 August) familiarization tour of defense institutions and establishments in Kenya. The Secretary General¢s visit to the defense institutions in Kenya follows similar visits he made in 2007 to the defense institutions in Tanzania and Uganda. The Kenyan tour that had been planned for September 2007 was postponed due to the elections campaigns that were taking place in the country at the time.

During today¢s visit, the Secretary General was taken round the production lines of the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation by the Management of the Corporation led by the Managing Director, Brigadier S.G. Mohammed. The Management of KOFC briefed the Secretary General on the agricultural projects, environment and water management as well as community development projects, in health and educational development, which the local and wider civil society and business community are participating in and benefitting from.

The Secretary General said that he was impressed by the application of modern advanced technology in the KOFC munitions plant, noting also that the KOFC was engaged in the production and provision of quality products for civilian uses as well as input to the commercial demand. He said the EAC is making plans to bring similar defense institutions in the EAC Partner States together to harmonize their technological capabilities to exchange views and experiences towards rationalizing their utilization of resources and investments and benefitting from the economies of scale to avoid wasteful duplication as well as addressing, in concert, other implications and ramifications of the armaments industry.

Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community
Arusha

– – –
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2008 05:53:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: PRESS RELEASE EAC ON DEVELOPMENT DIMENSION OF MILITARY

Fw: East African Community e-Newsletter 2008/09 Attached

Leave a reply

— On Fri, 7/25/08, Steve M. Machage wrote:

From: Steve M. Machage
Subject: East African Community e-Newsletter 2008/09 Attached
Date: Friday, July 25, 2008, 9:09 AM

East African Community e-Newsletter  2008/09 Attached
In this Issue
·        EU-ESA meeting considers response to global food and oil prices crisis
·        EAC-USA Strategic Trade and Investment Agreement
·        Consultative Workshop to operationalise and extend EACJ Jurisdiction
·        LVFO set to upgrade status With EAC
·        India¢s High Commissioner visits EAC
·        Record Management System (TRIM) Training ongoing Appointments
·        Appointments
 
Editor¢s Note

The  contents of the e-EAC newsletter can be freely reproduced, broadcast, published in whole or in part free of charge provided the source is acknowledged.

The views expressed in the newsletter do not necessarily represent those of the EAC Secretariat.

Feedbacks and comments are encouraged to

eac-updates@eachq.org

EAC Update e-newsletter is published fortnightly on Fridays by the
Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
East African Community (EAC)

You can also download the e-newsletter at www.eac.int
 
Steve Machage
Information/ICT Assistant
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
East African Community Secretariat
P.O. Box 1096 Arusha, TANZANIA
(: +254 724544494
): +255 724921093
8: machage@eachq.org
:: http://www.eac.int

EAC_e-NEWSLETTER_25_JULY.pdf application/octet-stream 1311.83 KB
Read or d/l document;

– – –
Date:  Fri, 1 Aug 2008 00:03:24 -0700 (PDT)
From:  Leo Odera Omolo
Subject:  Fw: East African Community e-Newsletter 2008/09 Attached

Fw: EAC EXECUTIVES HOLD TALKS WITH BRITISH PEER LORD LEA OF CRONDALL

Leave a reply

this story is forwarded by Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu

— On Wed, 7/30/08, Magaga Alot wrote:

From: Magaga Alot
Subject: EAC EXECUTIVES HOLD TALKS WITH BRITISH PEER LORD LEA OF CRONDALL

Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 5:51 AM

PRESS RELEASE

SECRETARY GENERAL HOLDS TALKS WITH BRITISH PEER, LORD LEA OF CRONDALL

– EAC executives exchange views with experienced British Peer on integration philosophy –

EAC Headquarters, Arusha, Wednesday 30 August 2008: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu held a meeting with the British Peer, David Edward Lea, Lord Lea of Crondall who called on him at his office in Arusha on Monday, 28 July 2008.

The Secretary General was accompanied during the meeting by the Deputy Secretary General (Finance and Administration) Dr Julius Tangus Rotich, the Deputy Secretary General ( Political Federation) Ms Beatrice Kiraso, EAC Director of Trade, Dr Flora Musonda, Head, EAC Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Mr Magaga Alot and the Chef de Cabinet, Mr Henry Obbo . The discussions centred on an exchange of views and experiences of the EU and EAC integration processes.

Lord Lea says EU is rooted in pragmatism

Lord Lea, a Labour Peer, recalled that the European Union has its genesis in the post World War era and the polarization of the world between two main contending ideological blocs of East and West. He said the driving force for the evolution and development of the EU was political but its engine was propelled by a pragmatic focus on the economic necessity. The EU, he said, was launched more with economic expression than with political fanfare. It was a trade-off between political abstraction and the push to get things done, particularly on the economic front.

Lord Lea observed that in spite of its structure of strong political authority and emphasis on sovereignty of the Partner States, the EAC was not short of things that could be done outside the purely political considerations. He said the EAC could identify and focus on the practical issues, among them immigration, the free movement of persons , environment, infrastructure, health , education and social security , without getting distracted or bogged down with lengthy conceptualization and indulgence in metaphysics over intricate political and sovereignty issues. He said African regional economic communities needed to go for “opt outs” on some of the sticking issues, and concentrate on the areas of “intermediate comfort” where movement would be demonstrated without compromising the unity of the regional economic blocs. He said there was need for resolute action to get things done and demonstrate concrete benefits and achievements of integration while using the success stories to get the people more interested and deeper involved in the regional integration process.

Amb Mwapachu reaffirms step by step approach to EA integration

The Secretary General of the East African Community, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu said that after the collapse of the predecessor East African Community (1967-77), the sense had prevailed with the revival of the Community in 1993 that regional integration would proceed more cautiously, on the step by step basis, with consensus and confidence established at every stage of the integration march.

He said that the overall political vision for continental union existed, emanating from the early pan Africanist ideals of the early sixties. He said that during about three decades that ensued, the debate over how fast to realize continental union had abated but was resurrected with the resurgence of the continental union demand under the African Union Constitutive Act of 2000. “Today, we are getting caught up again in that old argument about how quickly we should move to continental union”, Amb Mwapachu said.

Amb. Mwapachu said the EAC was concentrating on building robust economic communities as the building blocks of the African continental union. He noted that the National Consultative Process of Fast Tracking East African Federation conducted in the EAC Partner States in 2007 returned a verdict of overwhelming acceptance of the idea of Federation and equally overwhelming preference for a step by step approach towards political federation. He said the EAC was currently committed to re-engage the East African people about the whole question of political federation through deeper sensitization of the people on the benefits of integration.

DIRECTORATE OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
EAC SECRETARIAT
ARUSHA

View images;

– – –
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:46:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: Fw: EAC EXECUTIVES HOLD TALKS WITH BRITISH PEER LORD LEA OF CRONDALL