East African Community to Build Capacity for South Sudan Integration Process

Posted in Press Release

East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanzania; 16 March 2017:
The East African Community Secretariat will undertake a comprehensive capacity building programme on the integration process for the Republic of South Sudan to enhance the young nation’s integration into the Community.

EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, said that the capacity building programme for Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the Republic of South Sudan would focus on all aspects around the EAC integration.

Amb. Mfumukeko further encouraged the RSS to fully participate in the programmes and activities of the EAC since it was now a full member of the bloc.

He said the Community was working closely with Development Partners to mobilize funds for various development initiatives including infrastructure development, health, customs and trade.

The Secretary General who is on an inaugural tour of RSS made the remarks during meetings with various Ministers in the RSS. Among the Ministers who held meetings with Amb. Mfumukeko and his delegation were Hon. Deng Alor Kuol (Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation); Hon. Stephen Dhie Dau (Finance and Economic Planning), and; Hon. Moses Hassan Tiel (Trade, Industry and Investment). The South Sudan EAC Secretariat is headed by Hon. Mou Mou Athiany Kuol.

RSS became the EAC’s sixth Partner State after depositing the instruments of ratification of the Treaty of Accession to the EAC in September 2016.

The EAC delegation also held meetings with the Minister for Defence, Hon. Kuol Manyang Juuk, and Hon. Martinson Oturomoi, the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

Addressing the EAC Delegation, Foreign Minister Hon. Kuol thanked the EAC Secretariat for the invaluable support it gave to the team that negotiated the RSS’s admission into the Community, adding that his Ministry which hosts the South Sudan’s EAC Secretariat would endeavour to sensitize other government departments on the EAC.

On his part, Finance and Economic Planning Minister Stephen Dau said RSS felt it naturally belonged to the EAC due to its close historical, cultural, social and economic ties with East Africa.

Hon. Dau said the country was keen to honour all its obligations and enjoy its rights as an EAC Partner State. 

Hon. Kuol said RSS membership to the Community would enable the country to resolve some of the challenges it is facing by working in partnership with other Partner States, adding that it would also bring lots of benefits to both parties.

Trade, Industry and Investment Minister Hon. Tiel noted that the people of South Sudan had been longing to join the EAC for a long time.

Hon. Tiel said that South Sudan’s trade, investment and industrial sectors would be enhanced by joining the EAC, adding that the country has immense potential to gain from EAC by fully developing its agricultural sector.

Hon. Tiel said that contrary to the views of some people, RSS would not always be a net importer of goods noting that the country was already exporting honey and gum Arabic to other countries.

The EAC team briefed Defence Minister Manyang Juuk on cooperation in defence and security matters. Cooperation in defence among EAC Partner States includes: training; joint exercises; joint operations; sports and culture; military industries, and; visits and sharing of information.

The delegation informed Deputy Justice Minister Hon. Oturmoi that the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) usually has sub-registries in each Partner States capital city with the sub-registry being hosted in Judiciary. The staff to man the sub-registry are recruited competitively.

The Minister was further informed that the EACJ would also train State Attorneys/Counsel on the procedures of the Court so that they can effectively represent RSS in case of litigation by other parties.

Amb. Mfumukeko was accompanied by among others EAC Deputy Secretary General (Political Federation), Mr. Charles Njoroge, the Director of Customs, Mr. Kenneth Bagamuhunda, Director of Finance, Mr. Juvenal Ndimurirwo, Defence Liaison Officer (Uganda), Col. James Ruhesi; Ms. Geraldine Umugwaneza, Deputy Registrar at the East African Court of Justice; Mr. Bakaye Lubega, Principal Culture and Sports Officer; Mr. Stephen Agaba, Principal Legal Officer; Dr. James Njagu, Chef de Cabinet to the Secretary General, and; Emmanuel Niyonizigiye, Police Liaison Officer.
 
 
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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.

Enhance Implementation of the Common Market Protocol - Assembly Says as It Passes Key Report on Border Pastoralist Communities

Posted in Press Release

East African Legislative Assembly; Kigali, Rwanda; 15 March 2017:
The regional Assembly is calling on the EAC bloc to work closely with cross border pastoral communities to ensure the proactive and effective implementation of the Common Market Protocol.

At the same time, it is anticipated that effective operationalization of One Stop Border Post (OSBP) in the Namanga frontier shall ease trade in the area and specifically in the border areas of Longido, Tanzania and Kajiado, Kenya.

The House yesterday unanimously passed a Report of the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution on the Public hearing on Pastoral Communities on Longido in Tanzania and Kajiado in Kenya on the implementation of the Common Market Protocol projects.  The report presented to the House by Hon. Mike Sebalu follows a Public Hearing by the Committee on the Pastoral Maasai Communities of Longido in Tanzania and Kajiado in Kenya on February 19-27, 2017, in the context of the Common Market Protocol.

The assessment was a follow up of the fact-finding mission earlier conducted by the Assembly’s Committee on Pastoralists living in Kapenguria and Kacheliba in Kenya and Nakapiripirit in North Eastern Uganda, in May 2012.

The Committee examined the free movement of persons in the pastoral communities as it sought to understand the level of security among pastoral communities.  It further sought to identify the challenges faced by pastoralists in the context of the Common Market Protocol; and the problems thereto.

In its findings, the Committee observed that the two cross border pastoral communities of Longido, Tanzania and Kajiado, Kenya, are interrelated by blood and marriage.   Essentially, the report depicts the Maasai speaking people transcend the Tanzania and Kenya borders thus share a cosmology and history that predates colonial experience.

One of the negative impacts of the Berlin Conference, the report states, is the interference and interruption of family and cultural ties of the Maasai that occupy the Longido and Kajiado plains.

“This is the historical context under which the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution undertook the oversight visit to the Maasai communities living on both sides of the Namanga border”, a section of the report states.

The report calls for proactive measures when it comes to providing rapid response, investigation and dispute resolution at community level.

According to analysts, pastoralism is a viable livelihood for a considerable population of East Africans, for over a century now.  However, pastoralists have suffered prejudicial treatment reinforced by discriminatory laws and state policies.  Developmental interventions in pastoral areas have been characterized by ignorance about pastoralists and the pastoral system. 

The Committee’s report further states that many developmental projects have failed in pastoral areas because of stereotypical views held by those in authority (development agencies, NGOs and CSOs).  Pastoral areas today are characterized by poverty, lack of economic opportunities, conflicts, low education and poor infrastructure.

The report also states in part that Namanga OSBP did not make provisions for livestock trade and still restricts trade in livestock.

The report observes that a majority of stakeholders on the Tanzanian side of the border lack sufficient knowledge on the operations of the EAC Common Market.

“Most of them thought of an existence of a big market under one roof where people meet for trading purposes”, the report says in part.

Stakeholders at Longido (Tanzanian side) expressed concern about the issue of special passage fee charged per head of cattle transiting on private parcels of land and or boreholes while taking them to the market at the Kaijado County on the Kenyan side.

On the reverse, stakeholders and pastoral communities on the Kenyan side lamented about the challenges encountered, including high population growth rates, encroachment of crop farming on grazing lands, privatization of rangelands and resultant land grabbing as well as insecure land tenure and environmental degradation.

Other challenges faced include conflicts (violent/arms), climate change and variability, unsound development and unfavourable trade policies biased in favour of crops. At the same time, the report cites cheap cows and or beef from Tanzania leading to distortion of prices, ineffectiveness of pastoral traditional risk management strategies, increased food insecurity and poverty levels among pastoralists.

During debate, Hon. Dora Byamukama noted that infrastructure had been enhanced on both sides of the border and said this was a good move aimed at enhancing trade and the integration process.   “There is also a good foundation and every reason for the communities living at the border to speed up integration.  The people are already moving and integrating”, she said. 

“Policy makers must do their part to ensure we realise the objectives of integration”, Hon. Byamukama added.

Hon. Martin Ngoga said the communities living at the border points were ahead of the technocrats when it comes to enabling movement, mutual support to each other and business.   

“In future planning, we should think of joint sensitisation programmes and joint on-spot assessments so we can understand the issues together and understand integration”, Hon Ngoga said.

Hon. Sarah Bonaya said women were key stakeholders in the pastoralists communities since they were the home makers. Hon. Bonaya remarked that the vast lands the communities owned and inherited were no longer tenable due to the increase in investments among other things. 

“It is time the Communities began looking at cottage industries including other value addition initiatives as alternatives”, she said.

Others who raised support during debate were Hon. Susan Nakawuki, Hon. AbuBakr Ogle and Hon. Dr Nderakindo Kessy.
 

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For more information, please contact:

Mr Bobi Odiko
Senior Public Relations Officer
East African Legislative Assembly
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255-27-2508240
Fax: +255-27-2503103
Cell: +255-787-870945, +254-733-718036
Email: BOdiko [at] eachq.org
Web: www.eala.org

About the East African Legislative Assembly:

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is the Legislative Organ of the Community and has a cardinal function to further EAC objectives, through its Legislative, Representative and Oversight mandate. It was established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.