Press Release

East African Manufacturing Business Summit and Exhibition kicks off in Kampala

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The President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said that Africa and many developing countries face the challenge of high and growing youth unemployment, which if not addressed can potentially be a source of instability as has been the case in North Africa.

The President, who was this afternoon officiating at the official opening of the 1st East African Manufacturing Business Summit and Exhibition 2015 (EAMBS’15) at the Speke Resort, Munyonyo in Kampala, Uganda said many African youth had lost lives as they attempted to cross the Mediterranean Sea in search of employment opportunities in Europe.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, President Museveni said “this is a painful lesson and we as leaders must think of a collective regional strategy to respond to unemployment including expanding the manufacturing sector capacity, promoting micro, small and medium enterprises and youth entrepreneurs.

President Museveni urged the private sector to invest sufficient funds in research, technology and innovation and called on both the public and private sectors to come up with a regional research, technology and innovation network to serve as a vehicle for fostering collaborative research and transfer of technology into the sector.

The President noted that EAC Partner States were giving high priority to the development of infrastructure and energy, which were critical for efficient operations of the manufacturing sector in particular, and facilitating business and cross-border investment. He said the regional target was to eliminate electricity supply deficits and achieve full interconnectivity of the region by 2017, making it (EAC) attractive for investment in heavy industries such as steel mills, petrochemicals, paper, cement etc.

“East Africa is on its way to become a regional hub for manufacturing and a gateway to investing in Africa”, said the President.

Uganda’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Hon. Amelia Kyambadde hailed the EAC Secretariat, East African Business Council and the private sector for initiating the Manufacturing Business Summit. She said the Summit creates a relevant regional platform for building partnerships for growth of cross-border businesses and also facilitate advocacy on the need to improve business environment for a competitive manufacturing sector.

Uganda’s Minister urged the private sector in the region to bring on board the youth as part of the aggressive apprenticeships, internships and other skills development programmes. She also urged the region not to forget Political Federation as the ultimate goal of the East African Community, as well as peace and stability, which will be able to consolidate the gains that are were being made in the regional integration process.

The Secretary-General of the EAC, Amb. Dr Richard Sezibera urged Partner States’ governments to take some tough decisions so as to turn the region into one viable economic entity by eliminating all barriers to the factors of production in the bloc; active involvement and commitment to industrialisation; and, financing of technology transfer and innovation.

“Governments in the region should also be bold enough to undertake investments in those areas where the private sector are afraid to venture into, as well as use of public preferential treatment to support locally manufactured goods, and the labour mobility by freeing labour market in the region”, said the Secretary General.

Amb. Sezibera said improving the business environment was critical, adding that the recent Kenya-Uganda sugar saga was the most unfortunate thing in the recent years of the integration process.

“Sugar produced in Uganda or in any of the Partner States is EAC sugar, there is no such a thing like Burundi avocado, Rwanda pineapple, Tanzania Rice, Kenya beef or Uganda sugar. These are all products produced within the EAC and are bound by the EAC Customs Union and Common Market protocols”, said Dr Sezibera.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, called for sustainable investment in an integrated manner in the region and noted that EAC was the gateway for Africa. Dr Kituyi said the region needs to model itself to the realities of the market, otherwise it will be left behind on the global market.

The Chair of the East African Business Council, Mr Dennis Karera, called for fast-tracking the harmonisation of domestic taxes, work permits and residence regimes within the bloc in order to improve on the business environment.

“In addition, governments need to improve road networks, do away with non-tariff barriers, and use the procurement system to promote local industries by providing opportunities for local sourcing so as to enhance the business environment and make the region competitive”, said Karera.

The Chief Executive Officer of Bidco Africa, Mr Vimal Shah said this was an exciting moment for region and EAC Partner States should start thinking of removing all the borders in readiness for rapid transformational change.

The two-day summit is running under the theme “Unleashing the Manufacturing Potential for Accelerated Development and Employment Creation in East Africa”.

Regional Economic Blocs key to attaining Pan-Africanism

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Strong regional economic communities (RECs) are the key to Africa’s long term goal of creating a vibrant, united and prosperous continent.

South Africa’s High Commissioner to Tanzania and the East African Community, His Excellency Thamsanqa D. Mseleku, said his country was committed to the creation of strong and viable RECs across the entire continent, adding that RECs were the surest way to achieve the founding fathers’ dream of Pan-Africanism.

RECs are the first step to the African Union’s ultimate goal of creating an African Economic Community.

Amb. Mseleku said South Africa was keen to ensure that African countries build on the gains made in regional integration, democratisation, economic growth, good governance, security and political stability.

He noted that while Africa had made significant gains in these areas, there were still major challenges to be surmounted citing the situations in Burundi, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Somalia.

“On the economic front, there are sudden problems emerging in the world, which have a negative impact on African economies most of which are mainly resource-based”, he said.

The envoy said his country was open to increased cooperation and partnerships with the EAC, which he described as Africa’s fastest growing economic bloc.

Amb. Mseleku was speaking when he presented his credentials to the EAC Secretary-General (SG), Amb. Dr Richard Sezibera, at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The High Commissioner was accompanied by Mr Manqoba Mdluli, the Third Secretary Political Affairs at the South African High Commission in Dar es Salaam.

In his remarks, Dr Sezibera hailed Amb. Mseleku on his appointment as South Africa’s High Commissioner to the EAC.

“We consider South Africa as a very strong partner of the EAC. South Africa is a strong leader in terms of Pan-Africanism. South Africa’s leadership cuts across regional economic blocs and countries”, said Dr Sezibera.

Dr Sezibera said the EAC was trying to form a Political Federation as its contribution to Pan-Africanism, the realisation of which he said would reverse the negative legacy of colonialism on the continent.

“We have a Customs Union, a Common Market and are working towards the attainment of a single currency for the region by 2024. We are also working together with the South African Development Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa to create a free trade area and to make it work”, said the SG, adding that he looked forward to South Africa providing leadership during the tripartite negotiations.

He said that for regional integration to succeed, big economies must be willing to make sacrifices more because in the end, they will be the biggest beneficiaries.

“There will be a temporary loss but big economies like South Africa, Kenya and Egypt will inevitably gain more in the end”, he said.

He praised South Africa’s efforts in trying to mediate a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Burundi and South Sudan.

EALA swears in new Counsel to the Community as ex-Officio Member

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EALA has this afternoon sworn in Hon. Dr Anthony Luyirika Kafumbe, the new Counsel to the East African Community (CTC) as an Ex-Officio Member of EALA.

The Oath of Allegiance to the House was administered by the Clerk of EALA, before the EALA Speaker, Rt Hon. Daniel F. Kidega.

Hon. Dr Kafumbe took the oath in accordance with Rule 5 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly. The Rules of Procedure say in part that: “No Member can sit or participate in the proceedings of the House until the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to the Treaty is taken”.

Rule 5(5) specifically states that “when a Member first attends to take his or her seat other than at the first sitting of a new House, he or she shall be brought to the table by two Members and presented by them to the Speaker who shall then administer the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance”.

The Counsel to the Community was ushered into the House by Hon. Emmanuel Nengo and Hon. Dora Byamukama.

Hon. Dr Kafumbe was appointed Counsel to the Community by the Council of Ministers at its 32nd Meeting in Arusha in August 2015. This followed the retirement from service of the Community by long-serving CTC, Hon. Wilbert Kaahwa last year.

His duties shall include inter-alia offering legal advice to the EAC, attending and advising Council of Ministers and representing the Community at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ).

Prior to his appointment, Hon. Dr Kafumbe was the Principal Legal Officer of the Community having joined the Service of the Community in July 2008. Hon. Dr Kafumbe holds a Ph.D from the University of Glasgow, Scotland (2006).

He further holds LLM from University of Pretoria, South Africa (2000) and a Masters of Business Administration earned from ESAMI, Arusha, Tanzania (2003). Prior to joining the Community, Hon. Dr Kafumbe lectured at the Makerere University. He has also served as a Senior State Attorney, Ministry of Justice in the Republic of Uganda.

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