Posted in Press Release
Relations between India and the East African Community are set to be revitalised especially in the areas of trade, cultural exchange and development co-operation.
India’s High Commissioner to Tanzania and Representative to the EAC, Mr Sandeep Arya, said his country was keen on strengthening trade and cultural ties with the EAC, which date back several centuries.
Mr Arya said India already had bilateral projects in most of the EAC Partner States particularly health and agriculture, adding that they wanted to partner with the EAC to boost trade volumes and promoting industrial growth in East Africa.
Mr Arya said he would work closely with the Confederation of Indian Industries and the Indian Exim Bank in these initiatives, noting that these partnerships should for a start be between these two institutions and the East African Development Bank and the East African Business Council.
Mr Arya was speaking after presenting his credentials to the EAC Secretary-General, Amb. Dr Richard Sezibera, at the EAC Secretariat in Arusha, Tanzania. Dr Sezibera thanked India for its support to the Partner States singling out the scholarships granted to students from the Partner States to study in India.
Dr Sezibera also cited the support granted to the Community by India in the preparation of the East African Railways Master Plan, the implementation of which he said would revolutionise the transport sector in the region.
He disclosed that that one of the challenges faced by the EAC in relation to the free movement of goods across the region was the porous borders with non-EAC neighbours, adding that this issue was being addressed.
The Secretary-General said there would be common Rules of Origin for goods within the EAC-COMESA-SADC Free Trade Area which is expected to become operational soon. He added that the EAC was also co-operating with COMESA and SADC on infrastructure development.
Dr Sezibera said the constitution making process for a Political Federation, the ultimate stage of the EAC integration process, would begin this year.
Later in the day, the Danish Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania and Representative to the EAC, H.E. Einar Jensen also presented his letter of accreditation to the EAC Secretary-General, designating him as his country’s representative to the EAC.
In his remarks, the Danish Ambassador hailed EAC for the remarkable achievements so far recorded in the establishment of the Customs Union Protocol, Common Market Protocol and Monetary Union Protocol. “Denmark has chosen to formalise its relations with the East African Community in recognition of the aspirations and ambitions of the EAC”, noted Amb. Jensen.
The EAC Secretary-General, Amb. Sezibera, noted that the accreditation sets a new stage in the relationship between Denmark and the EAC. He lauded the long-standing ties between the EAC Partner States and Denmark, and reaffirmed the EAC’s commitment to strengthen the relationship.
Also present at the function was the Counsel to the Community, Dr Anthony Kafumbe.
Posted in Press Release
EALA Members commenced a five-day capacity building workshop on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Auditing processes yesterday in Zanzibar, Tanzania in a bid to enhance the oversight function of the Assembly.
EALA Speaker, Rt Hon. Daniel Fred Kidega said the workshop was deemed necessary to enhance the oversight function of the Assembly.
The capacity building workshop presents an opportune moment for EALA to be able to harness understanding of the technical workings of the MTEF budgeting and to comprehend the procedures that go on in the auditing processes.
“Interesting topics include the role of the Committee on Accounts and the Assembly in the Accountability process as well as the technical and political review of the Audit Commission Report. This is deemed necessary for the Members as a means to enhancing our oversight function”, the EALA Speaker said.
The Committees on Accounts and General Purpose called for enhancement of capacities in the field to arm the Assembly with the necessary skills and expertise and to improve the oversight function.
The EALA Members are also expected to undertake a capacity building course in Kiswahili to shore up their efforts in sensitising the citizens in the region.
The EALA Speaker remarked that Kiswahili was a key uniting factor for the region and in strengthening the integration process.
“As the integration deepens and specifically with the Common Market Protocol in effect, it is important for all EAC citizens to speak Kiswahili to avoid lagging behind. It is also expected to serve as an important tool in forging the much awaited Political Federation in the region”, Rt Hon. Kidega said.
Kiswahili is the lingua franca of the Community as envisaged under Article 137 of the EAC Treaty. Kiswahili is widely spoken in diverse regions across the EAC region.
He said Members would benefit a great deal by sharpening Kiswahili as they strive to sensitise citizens of the region.
“As an Assembly, we also have no choice but to perfect our Kiswahili. Already many of us are quite comfortable with Kiswahili, but this is no excuse for we need to be articulate, knowledgeable and fluent if we are to fully sensitise the citizens of this great region”, the Speaker added.
The Kiswahili Commission was established as an institution of the EAC and is based in Zanzibar.
The objectives of the workshop are as follows:
- To enhance capacity of Members in the MTEF, budgeting process;
- To enhance the capacity of Members’ technical knowledge on EAC Audited Accounts;
- To enhance the knowledge and fluency in the Kiswahili language;
- To enhance the Members’ capacity to accomplish the fulfilment of the functions and roles of the Assembly by improved effectiveness in 1 and 3.
Under the Audit function, the workshop inter alia, expects to enhance Members’ capacity to carry out the post audit function that encompasses the need to monitor the implementation of the budget in a manner similar to internal audit. This is pursuant to Rule 72(1) of the EALA Rules of Procedure that enables the Assembly to monitor the implementation of the budget of the Community through the Committee responsible for budgetary control and other relevant Committees.
Topics to be covered hereunder include: the role of the Committee on Accounts and the Assembly in the Accountability process; the technical and political review of the Audit Commission Report and auditing standards. Audit processes and the role of stakeholders in Accountability relationships shall be looked at.
The Consultants are drawn from the Audit Commission and the University of Zanzibar.
As the regional Assembly, EALA’s mandate encompasses legislation, oversight and representation. Sensitisation of publics is a key plank of EALA’s activities and is the theme of its Strategic Plan anchored on a people-centred approach to widening and deepening of the EAC integration process.