Posted in Press Release
East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanzania; 05 April 2017:
The Republic of Uganda has officially taken over from the United Republic of Tanzania as the new Chairperson of East African Community.
The Republic of Rwanda became the new rapporteur during the 35th Meeting of EAC Council of Ministers which concluded yesterday at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The tenure of office of the Chairperson of the EAC is one year and it is held on rotational basis among the Partner States as per Article 12 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC.
Speaking after taking over, the new Chairman of the EAC Council of Ministers, Hon. Dr Ali Kirunda Kivenjija, Uganda's Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs, said that the Council of Ministers meeting came at a time when there was growing demand by the East African citizens to see, touch and feel the tangible benefits of the regional integration especially following the launch of the Customs Union in 2005, the Common Market in 2010, and the Monetary Union in 2013.
"At this critical period, the Council’s contribution towards the regional integration process therefore cannot be overemphasized," Hon. Kivenjija. He urged EAC Partner States to enhance the visibility of the tangible benefits of the integration by implementing fully the Customs Union and Common Market protocols.
Hon. Kivejinja said that since the operationalization of the Customs Union and Common Market protocols, Partner States have not fully allowed the citizens to enjoy the anticipated benefits.
"Our people are still experiencing non-tariff barriers, harmonization of national laws to conform to the Protocols are still far, and popular participation in the integration process is still generally low in all the Partner States," said the Minister.
The new Chair of the Council also reminded members of the Council on the Summit directive to the Council to present a report on Alternative Financing Mechanism including the option of 1% of Imports from outside the Community in line with the Principle of Financial Solidarity and Equity. He urged the Ministers of Finance to finalize the proposal as soon as possible so that the Summit can be guided to this outstanding matter.
On his part, the outgoing Chair, Amb. Augustine Mahiga Tanzania's Minister for Foreign Affairs, East Africa, Regional and International Cooperation, called upon the Organs and Institutions of the Community to refocus and re-engineer how to move forward the integration agenda.
"I urge them to refrain themselves from unnecessary expenditures which amount equally to wastage of tax payers money," said Amb Mahiga. Amb. Mahiga disclosed that there are inbuilt challenges in any regional integration schemes which need to be addressed as long as they are known.
“Generally what I can say during our tenure we came across plains, hills and valleys but all is well."
EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, congratulate the new Chair on his appointment and expressed confidence that the Republic of Uganda would steer the Council and the Community to greater heights during her tenure as Chair. "I pledge my total commitment and support to you."
The Secretary General also thanked Dr Enos Bukuku, the outgoing Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure for six years of dedicated service to the Community. Dr. Bukuku is from the United Republic of Tanzania. "A lot of achievements have been registered during his tenure, the most notable one being finalization of the negotiations for the Monetary Union," said Amb. Mfumukeko. Dr. Bukuku was appointed by the EAC Heads of State Summit in April 2011. According to the EAC Treaty, the Deputy Secretaries General shall each serve on a three year term, renewable once and shall deputise for the Secretary General. Dr. Bukuku will be concluding his tour of duty at the end of April 2017. The 35th Meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers was also attended by the Uganda First Lady, Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni, who is also the Ugandan Minister of Education.
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For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Posted in Press Release
East African Legislative Assembly; Dhaka, Bangladesh; 03 April 2017:
EALA Speaker, Rt Hon. Daniel Fred Kidega is calling on global Parliamentarians to pay more attention in ensuring promotion of economic stimulus programmes that address social challenges and support local value chains in a bid to narrow the widening poverty gaps and redress inequalities.
At the same time, Rt Hon. Kidega says Parliaments should appropriate more resources in the States’ budgets to check on rising inequalities and hold Executive accountable on the same.
The Speaker was addressing the 136th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU) taking place in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The annual event which is themed: Redressing inequalities: Delivering on dignity and well-being for all” brings together over 50 Speakers and 1400 legislators from the globe.
In his remarks, Rt Hon. Kidega maintained that despite the emergence of BRIC countries and other economies as well as attempts to generate wealth, much more was needed to reduce the inequality and to raise the standards of living.
He said the East African Community region had similarly been gravely affected by inequalities. “The State of East Africa Report 2016 depicts not all citizens have seen or felt the benefits of increasing national GDP figures at the individual/family front. If anything, life continues to be harsher and harder. The economic boom has not generated the jobs as was expected, while levels of poverty and malnutrition remain high”, the Speaker said, while remaining optimistic the trend could be reversed.
The Speaker cited issues contributing to inequality as disparity in income levels throughout the world, uncertain political environments, the gender norms and stereotypes and the imbalance of economic power.
In many countries, Rt Hon. Kidega said, fruits of economic development increasingly failed to reach those who deserve the same – instead benefitting companies, financial services and vested interests. He said the rate of unemployment in the globe was similarly high.
“Statistics in East Africa reveals that 7 out of the 10 persons you see walking in the streets are jobless, while another 6 out of 10 live in informal settlements. Yet, the largest population, the youth, constitute about 8 out of 10 persons and their age range is below 30 years”, Such is replicable in many parts of the globe”, he noted.
The Speaker called on Parliaments to enact relevant legislation to make greater impact. He informed the convention that EALA had legislated a number of pieces that protect society and address inequalities including; the EAC Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016, the EAC Gender, Equity and Equality Bill, 2016, the EAC Conflict Management Bill, 2011 and the EAC Human and Peoples Rights Act, 2011.
“He further called for dialogue to resolve political issues saying politically instigated inequalities more often than not arise from disputed elections and uncertainties which result into conflicts and sometimes wars. The ramifications are sometimes too much to bear leading to refugee crises and instabilities in the nations”, Rt Hon. Kidega said.
Analysts contend that Poverty reduction is often compromised by income inequality. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) urges poor and resource rich nations to simultaneously explore reduction of inequality and bolster long-term economic growth. However, inequality correlates to shorter spells of economic expansion and volatility to crises.
The 136th IPU was opened by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bangladesh, Hon. Sheikh Hasina at the Parliament of Bangladesh yesterday. The Prime minister thanked delegates for electing Bangladesh as the chair of both Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). The Prime minister mentioned her government’s short, medium and long-term initiatives for the development of the country and said the government is making stride to build the country in a planned way.
“The 100 Million young people are prepared to make the world a better place. Let us not make them frustrated. They are the face of change and let us globalise human compassion”, he said.
The Emergency items include a call for urgent international action to save millions of people from famine and drought in parts of Africa and the Yemen jointly presented by the Republic of Kenya together with Belgium and the United Kingdom. Speaker of the Senate of Kenya, Rt Hon. Ekwe Ethuro, presented the merged proposal to the Assembly yesterday.
“We need to request for international organisations to come to the aid of the affected nations. Without global action, people will simply starve to death”, the Speaker remarked.The Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt Hon. Rebecca Kadaga and the Speaker of the Burundi National Assembly, Rt Hon. Pascal Nyabenda also addressed the Assembly
In attendance also are a delegation of the Parliament of Rwanda led by the Deputy Speaker and legislators from the Transitional Assembly of the Republic of South Sudan.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national Parliaments. It works to safeguard peace and drives positive democratic change through political dialogue and concrete action. To that end, IPU fosters contacts, co-ordination, and the exchange of experience among Parliaments and Parliamentarians of all countries. IPU also contributes to the defence and promotion of human rights - an essential factor of Parliamentary democracy and development. EALA is an Associate Member of the IPU.
- ENDS -
For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Legislative Assembly:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
