Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The East African Community {EAC} risk missing out on benefits of key trade and economic agreements over legality test.

Member states of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi are yet to implement the EAC Joint Trade Negotiation Act 2007, which is due to be signed by 2014.The Act aimed at streamlining the regional trade negotiations through the Joint Trade Negotiation Commission.

“The EAC partners states bilateral and multilateral trade arrangements, which are not bound under any legal framework, a member of the East African Legislative Assembly {EALA} Gervase Akhaabi has disclosed.

In an interview published by the influential weekly, the EASTAFRICAN in its latest edition, Akhabi said,”this is so despite the existence of a Common External Tariff, which is binding on all the five partner states under the Customs Union.

Thus, the European Union Economic Partnership Agreement {EPAs} as well as trade deals with the three African regional communities will not be affected soon.

EAC is negotiating trade arrangements as a bloc with other parties, notably the EPAs with the EU, and the Tripartite Trade Area with member countries of COMESA and SADC.

The EU is an important trade partner for EAC, commanding about USD 4.8 billion of imports- mainly oil products, medicines, machinery, cars, aircraft and electrical appliances, as USD 3.18 billion of exports –mainly coffee, tea and fresh cut flowers, as per 2010 trade data is showing.

The EALA member was further quoted as saying that” in order to effectively implement the Joint Trade Act, non-state actors should actively be involved.

“They will address legal maters through the EALA and the attorney general’s chambers, while conducting public awareness campaigns through academic institutions so as to make it more inclusive,”.

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