East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 1st March , 2018:
A Regional Learning Event and Investor Forum on Environment and Natural Resources Management under the theme Building resilience in East Africa: Bridging the Gaps in Policy and Practice is underway at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The two-day forum being organized by the East African Community Secretariat in collaboration with the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) with the financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides an interactive space to promote networking, stimulate actions, and facilitate experiential learning that supports resilience, linking local level initiatives with those at regional and national levels.
The overall objective of the event is to showcase EAC priority programs in Environment and Natural Resources on climate change; biodiversity conservation; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and transboundary water resources management.
Reading the speech of the EAC Secretary General, Amb Liberat Mfumukeko during the official opening session, the Director of Productive Sector, at the EAC Secretariat, Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana said the Community is facing numerous environmental challenges that undermine regional efforts in improving the quality of life of citizens and attaining sustainable development objectives.Some of those challenges are but not limited to: pollution, desertification, deterioration of aquatic and fresh water ecosystems, disasters, climate change and serious biodiversity losses.
Mr. Havugimana disclosed that at the regional level, the EAC Secretariat and Lake LVBC have been implementing a good number of projects and programmes with a view to conserving and protecting the region’s environment and natural capital against all forms of pollution and degradation arising from sustainable natural events (extreme weather conditions for example: EL NINO and LA NINA) as well as human induced disasters and developmental activities.
He said for the region to build on the momentum of work that has been carried out particularly in the last five years under the USAID/KEA funded PREPARED Program, there is a need for a critical assessment of the past performances, draw lessons and identify offered opportunities to stimulate future actions that can allow achievement of quick wins and facilitate pragmatic learning that supports resilience, linking local level initiatives with those at regional and national levels.
At the same occasion, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission in charge of Programmes and Projects, Mr Telly Eugene Muramila said the region is facing a number of environmental challenges similar to the other blocs and to mention one challenge – is the increasing demand for water, driven by population pressure, rapid industrialization, and agricultural intensification.
Mr, Muramila, who was speaking on behalf of Dr. Ali Said Matano, the Executive Secretary of LVBC, informed the participants at the forum that PREPARED Program with other Partners in the region since 2012 has been addressing so many environmental challenges on climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and improved water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which are high priorities for both the US Government and the EAC.
He further explained that over the past five years, LVBC and PREPARED have worked to enhance the resiliency of institutions in East Africa to provide water, supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. “To achieve this goal, the PREPARED Program focused on improving the quality of service delivery among water utilities and reducing non-revenue water (NRW) rates”, added Mr Muramila.
On his part, Mr. Brad Arsenault, Deputy Chief, USAID Kenya and East Africa pledged the commitment of the United States Government to continue supporting East African-led strategic priorities for biodiversity conservation, water resource management, and combatting wildlife trafficking.
He however, called for the Planning for Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Research and Economic Development, better known as PREPARED.
The two-day forum is characterized by plenary and keynote sessions, thematic discussions, and practitioner exhibitions.
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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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania,9th February, 2018:
Between 5th -9th February, 2018, an exhibition “Facing the Climate” has been show-casing at the lobby of the East African Community (EAC) Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The exhibition coincided with the 5th Sectorial Council on Environment and Natural Resources.
The exhibition is developed by the Swedish Institute, produced by the Embassy of Sweden in Dar es Salaam and Buni Media, curated by renowned cartoonists Victor Ndula (Kenya) and Magnus Bard (Sweden) in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat.
Today at the official closing ceremony, H.E. Katarina Rangnitt, the Swedish Ambassador to Tanzania, said to create a sustainable future we need ambitious and sustainable climate, energy and environment policies. You are here today as policy makers that have the power to create change. Just like East African and Swedish cartoonists have worked together for the “Facing the Climate”-exhibition, added Amb Rangnitt.
“I encourage all of us to do the same. Climate change is a global problem which we can only solve together. Sweden is ready to do her part, let’s join hands and lead the way’’
On his part, the Chair of the EAC Sectorial Council on Environment and Natural Resources and Minister of Water and Environment from Uganda, Hon Sam Mangusho Cheptoris commended the good work done by the Swedish Embassy in Tanzania by raising climate change awareness through the art of cartoonists.
He disclosed to the participants that the EAC like other sub regions in Africa is facing numerous climate change challenges that affect region efforts to achieve integration agenda.
Hon Cheptoris informed the meeting that the East African Community among others developed EAC Climate Change Policy and Strategy and the Climate Change Master Plan (2011-2031) to face climate change challenges that affect regional.
One of the Tanzanian cartoonists, Dr. Meddy Jumanne, shared his view on the issue and what inspired him to be a cartoonist. Edgar Tarimo who won the Children’s Climate Price 2017, presented his invention of turning plastic bottles in to building bricks which is quite impressive given that he is only 17 years old.
The idea of the cartoon exhibition was initiated to coincide with the 2009 United Nations Copenhagen Climate Change Conference when 25 Nordic cartoonists interpreted the subject. Since then Swedish cartoonists have been collaborating with their counterparts from around the world to offer amusing and alarming views on climate change issues from different local perspectives.
The exhibition has been shown in over 30 countries and attracted more than 450,000 visitors since it was initiated. The exhibition is constantly growing as new countries participate with each new year.
The exhibition has now reached East Africa and features both Swedish and East African cartoonists. Tanzanian cartoonists who participated at the exhibition were are Fedeliko, Popa Matumula, Sammi Mwamkinga, Dr Meddy and Christopher Nyiti.
Using the power of humour and satire, these cartoonists invite the public to reflect upon the challenges of climate change and encourage responsible actions. It is a topic that mankind cannot afford to ignore, either in Northern Europe or East Africa.
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For more information, please contact:
Ms Hanna Widén Embassy of Sweden Tel: 0699 887 997 hanna.widen[at]gov.se
OR
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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 5th February, 2018:
The 5th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Environment started today at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The five-day meeting started with the Session of Senior Officials which will run from 5th – 7th February, 2018 followed by the Session of Permanent/Principal Secretaries/Undersecretaries which will take place on 8th February, 2018. The meeting will conclude with the Session of Ministerial or Cabinet Secretaries on Friday, 9th February, 2018.
Among the items on the agenda are the: Consideration of the Implementation Status of the previous Sectoral Councils and Councils Decisions and Directives on Environment and Natural Resources; Consideration of Policy, Legal and Institutional Framework Matters; Consideration of Terrestrial Ecosystems Matters, and; Consideration of Aquatic Ecosystems Matters.
Also on the agenda are the: Consideration of Climate Change Issues; Consideration of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Matters; Consideration of Pollution Control Issues, and; Consideration of Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization Initiatives.
Speaking during the opening session of the meeting, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, said that the East African region was facing numerous environmental challenges that undermine efforts to improve the quality of life of citizens and attainment of sustainable developments objectives.
“Pollution, desertification, deterioration of aquatic and fresh water ecosystems, climate change and biodiversity loss have always been mentioned as the major ones,” said Hon. Bazivamo.
Hon. Bazivamo said that various initiatives in response to environmental challenges had implemented at the regional, national and local levels.
“At the regional level, the EAC Secretariat has been implementing environmental programmes in line with Chapters 15, 19 and 20 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC. In this regard, a number of projects and programmes have been implemented in the region with the view of conserving and protecting the region’s environment and natural resources against all forms of pollution and degradation arising from developmental activities,” added the DSG.
Hon. Bazivamo noted that the effective natural resources management had been given a high priority in the EAC Vision 2050.
“As well spelt out in the 5th EAC Development Plan, this action will include, among others, programmes that will bear tangible impact to the livelihood of the people of the EAC such as sustainably protecting water bodies, water catchment areas and wet lands, and provision of water in arid and semi-arid areas of the EAC region, raising awareness of the importance of the shared water resources, promote climate change resilient crops, animals and fisheries,” said Hon. Bazivamo.
Other programmes include promoting planting of trees with high economic value to protect water in lakes, rivers and wetlands and water catchment areas, and to strengthen the capacity of local communities and governments to reduce and manage disaster risks.
The Session of Senior Officials which brings together delegates from all the six EAC Partner States is being chaired by Mr. Mugabi Stephen David, the Commissioner of Environment Sectors Support Services, Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda.
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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.
The East African Community Secretariat is taking part in the ongoing 23rd Session of the Conference of Parties (COP 23) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 13th Meeting of Parties to Kyoto Protocol (CMP13) and the 2nd Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement, that is taking place from 6th - 17th November, 2017 in Bonn, Germany.
The COP 23 is being organized by Fiji and hosted at the headquarters of the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany, with the aim of launching nations towards the next level of ambition needed to tackle global warming and put the world on a safer and more prosperous development path. The Conference, coming just two years after the landmark adoption of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, is expected to fuel momentum among cities, states, regions, territories, business and civil society in support of national climate action plans, the internationally-agreed temperature goal and the wider objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The EAC Secretariat has an observer status to UNFCCC processes and is participating in the several COP 23 sessions and is showcasing the milestones, achievements and lessons learned from the implementation of climate change programmes in the region.
As part of the preparations for the forthcoming conference and with financial support from the US Government, the EAC Secretariat organized and facilitated national and regional climate change consultative meetings. The national and regional consultations were undertaken from 12th to 31st October, 2017 with a view to identify national climate change priorities that would inform development of the regional position paper to guide negotiations.
The national consultations devised measures for realization of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and aligned Partner States’ priorities to the EAC roadmap for implementation of the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with GiZ (Uganda) organized and facilitated advocacy and capacity building workshops for the regional Climate Negotiators on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement as part of pre-COP 23 preparations.
EAC Secretariat participation is an opportunity for the EAC delegation to share experiences, success stories and best practices in implementing its Vision 2050, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.
Beside the official side events and other events coordinated by the UNFCCC Secretariat, Parties and observer organizations are organizing their own events relating to the climate change negotiation process in different Pavilions and outside the conference premises.
The EAC Secretariat will take this opportunity to engage in bilateral discussions with new and existing Development Partners to assist in implementing the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.
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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.
East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 14th October, 2017:
Floods, landslides, drought and conflicts are some of the major factors that trigger disasters that cause people to flee from their homes within the East African Community.
EAC Deputy Secretary General (DSG) in charge of Finance and Administration, Hon. Jesca Eriyo, said that East Africans also move into areas prone to natural hazards, particularly urban centres on floodplains, rivers exposed to floods and along coastlines exposed to cyclones and storms.
Hon. Eriyo said that many East Africans remained vulnerable to natural hazards due to factors associated with poverty including lack of knowledge, technology to adapt or to be adequately prepared for disasters.
“Environmental degradation, growing human populations, unsustainable exploitation of environmental resources and poor land use planning are the other predisposing factors. The region is equally predisposed to manmade disasters such as urban fires, water pollution, HIV and AIDS and outbreaks of disease epidemics,” said the DSG.
Hon. Eriyo said that most of the affected populations were generally poor and unable to pay for more secure pieces of land and build stronger houses.
The DSG disclosed that data on displacement in the EAC region indicates that internally displaced populations were on the rise with South Sudan leading with 281,000 people, Kenya 40,000, Tanzania 38,000 and Uganda 23,000, adding that there were no statistics for Burundi and Rwanda.
“Research shows that the impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and environmental degradation will increase displacement risk further. All these occurrences continue to remind us of the potentially harmful effects of global warming and the need to adopt an ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction Approach,” said Hon. Eriyo.
She cited the ongoing drought in the Greater Horn of Africa region, the 5.9 magnitude earthquake that hit North West Tanzania, the Mount Elgon landslide as some of the recent disasters whose impacts were still being felt in the region.
Hon. Eriyo was speaking when she presided over an occasion to mark the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
She said EAC Partner States had switched emphasis from managing disasters to managing disaster risks as outlined in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) – a global instrument adopted in Sendai, Japan in 2015.
The SFDRR is framework is a disaster response mechanism with a two-pronged strategy to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): reducing disaster mortality and reducing the numbers of people affected by disasters.
“The EAC has made positive moves in integrating DRR into its policies and programmes. In addressing disasters, Partner States have established DRR comprehensive policy frameworks, enacted several legislations and formed DRR platforms that guide interventions in DRR,” she said.
She said the EAC had developed DRR institutions and instruments including the EAC DRR Strategy, adding that the EAC Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Act that was recently passed by the East African Legislative Assembly had provisions for displaced persons among other things.
“The EAC has established Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Unit that will be supervised director by the Secretary General. The Unit will play a key role in the implementation of the EAC Disaster Risk Reduction Act and the implementation of the Sendai Framework in the region,” said Ms. Eriyo.
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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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha. 13th October, 2017:
The East African Community will join the rest of the world in celebrating the 2017 International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR) on 13th October, 2017. The event will take place at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The overall objective of the IDDR celebration is to create awareness and promote a culture of disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness in the EAC region, and promote best practices at regional level and across all sectors to reduce disaster with a particular focus on reducing the numbers of people at risk and disaster losses.
The UN General Assembly has designated 13th October as IDDR. Since it began 25 years ago, the day has grown into a major global awareness event celebrated in many ways to recognize progress and encourage efforts to build more disaster-resilient communities and nations.
The IDDR is an opportunity to acknowledge the substantial progress being made towards reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries. Such an outcome is the aim of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, a global instrument adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan in March 2015.
The 2017 IDDR is the Second year of “The Sendai Seven” Campaign and the focus on the day will be Target (b) of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction whose focus is on reducing the numbers of people affected by disasters by reducing exposure and displacement. The theme of the day is “HOME SAFE HOME…A home saved is a family saved from displacement, poverty, injury and ill health.” This implies protection against injury, against ill health and loss of livelihood by minimizing disasters risks.
“Home Safe Home” slogan for IDDR in 2017 was adopted following a year in which 24.2 million of new displacements by disasters were recorded by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). A key focus of the campaign is on the issue of disaster-related displacement and what can be done to protect people in the home and workplace from disasters, and to make these locations more resilient to disasters. This is a key challenge in many hazard-exposed parts of the world but notably in low and middle-income countries
The EAC Celebration is expected to come up with an increased awareness of the Sendai Framework and a key target; a greater focus on risk-informed investment in housing stock and slum upgrading; protective measures and the importance of reducing injury and ill-health as consequences of disaster events; a greater focus on protecting livelihoods and places of work in hazard-prone areas; and an increased awareness on the role everyone/ every sector can play in reducing disaster risk.
The celebration will include an EAC Statement on the occasion of the IDD, to be published, a seminar and other activities involving community participation and cooperation. EAC internal stakeholders namely Productive and Social Sectors, Infrastructure, Peace and Security, Security, Human resources and Administration, and Corporate communication will technically contribute to the success of the event.
NOTES TO EDITORS
EAC region is vulnerable to disasters
The EAC sub-region like any other region in the world is suffering from Disasters that are caused by natural and manmade hazards. The East Africa region is prone to natural hazards such floods, droughts, earthquakes, landslides, strong winds, lightening and their secondary impacts of diseases and epidemics making the region the most vulnerable and least resilient to disasters. This is attributable to climate change impacts, Geographic situation (Western Rift, volcanoes, earthquake, hilly...), Poverty: including lack of knowledge, technology to adapt, or to be prepared to Disasters, environmental degradation, growing human populations, over and unsustainable exploitation of environmental resources and poor land use planning among other factors.
The region is equally predisposed to manmade disasters such as urban fires, environmental degradation, water pollution, HIV and Aids and outbreaks of disease epidemics. Pest infestation, Conflicts, fires, livestock diseases, Terrorism Environmental degradation (desertification, pollution, soil erosion, etc.), lightning, wind-storms, hailstorms, are also common hazards of the region. Drought and Floods are the most frequent disasters in the region. Drought and its associated famine has become a major setback to economic development due to its direct impacts on the lives and livelihoods and caused homeless, sometimes called Climate Refugees. Floods and conflicts are the most current causes of displacement. Those hazards have for a long time reversed economic gains whereby resources meant for development programmes have to be diverted to fight drought emergencies
EAC achievements in Disaster Risk Reduction
The EAC has made positive moves in integrating DRR into policies and programmes. In addressing Disasters Partner States have established DRR comprehensive Policy frameworks, enacted several legislations and formed DRR Platforms that guide interventions in DRR. The fourth EAC Development Strategy (2011-2016) also emphasizes on the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action and the Africa Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction. The EAC Climate Change Policy emphasize on DRR as a tool for climate change adaptation. A Climate Change Strategy and a Climate Change Master Plan are being implemented. The EAC region developed DRR institutions and instruments including the EAC DRR Strategy. The EAC DRRM Act that was recently passed b EALA has provisions of other institutions that include the DRRM Board, the DRRM Authority and the DRRM Fund.
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk reduction
The Sendai Framework was adopted by the United Nations (UN) Member States at the 3rd UN World Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in March 2015 in Sendai, Japan and endorsed by the UN General Assembly. The aim of the Sendai Framework is to achieve „The substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries‟ by 2030 through progress monitored with indicators against seven global targets.
These targets aim to reduce: (a) mortality, (b) the number of affected people, (c) economic losses, and (d) critical infrastructure damage; and increase; (e) the number of national and local disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, (f) level of international cooperation, and (g) availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments. To attain those targets, the Sendai Framework has defined 4 priorities: 1)Understanding Disaster Risk, 2) Strengthening Disaster Risk governance to manage disaster Risk, 3) investing in Disaster Risk reduction, and 4) enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to build back better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The Sendai Seven Campaign
The year 2016 saw the launch by the UN Secretary-General of “The Sendai Seven Campaign” to promote each of the seven targets over seven years. This year’s target is focused on prevention, protection and reducing the number of people affected by disasters, Target (b). It concerns the safety of all but particularly those at greater risk of death, injury, ill-health, loss of livelihood, displacement and lack of access to basic services from disaster events including women and children, people living with disabilities, and older persons. These groups have varying degrees of exposure to disaster events and also need to be included in disaster risk management planning.
The International Day’s rallying cry implies all this but focuses on the primal importance of the family home as a sanctuary and safe refuge in times of disaster with a particular focus on preventing displacement. The Campaign will also encompass the other key indicators for Target The Sendai Seven Campaign is an opportunity for governments, local governments, UN agencies and all stakeholders including the private sector, science and technology partners, community groups, civil society organisations, international organisations, to promote and advertise best practice at international, regional and national level across all sectors, to reduce disaster risk and disaster losses.
October 13th: International Day for Disaster Reduction
The United Nations General Assembly has designated 13 October as International Day for Disaster Reduction to promote a global culture of disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness. Since it began 25 years ago, the day has grown into a major global awareness event celebrated in many ways to recognize progress and encourage efforts to build more disaster-resilient communities and nations.
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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.
East African Community Secretariat; Bujumbura, Burundi; 03 April 2017: Climate change, globalization, increased human-animal interactions, anti-microbial resistance and gaps in national healthcare systems are the most likely factors to increase the outbreak of epidemics in East Africa.
Professor Japhet Killewo, of the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in the United Republic of Tanzania, said that the world today was changing at an alarming rate with populations living with disease outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics.
Prof. Killewo said that times were also changing with countries increasingly experiencing a rapid increase in natural and man-made disasters.
Prof. Killewo said that countries within the EAC region and other parts of Africa were simply not prepared for the next epidemic.
“When an epidemic strikes, before we know it, people start dying and when the healthcare system attempts to handle the situation, healthcare workers too, start dying, and suddenly there is no one to handle the situation. Healthcare systems become paralyzed,” said Prof. Killewo, alluding to the Ebola outbreak which swept across West Africa three years ago.
Prof. Killewo was giving the keynote address themed Preparedness for, and control of Disease Outbreaks, Epidemics and Pandemics, in the Context of Climate Change, Globalization and Gaps in Health Systems during the 6th East African Health and Scientific conference held in Bujumbura, Burundi from 29th – 31st March, 2017.
Prof. Killewo attributed the continent’s epidemic unpreparedness to the inability by national surveillance systems that identify disease pathogens and/or track cases of disease to execute their mandates effectively.
“Our health infrastructure is also very poor. During the Ebola outbreak in 2014, fewer people accessed healthcare services because of fear, and more people died from malaria, HIV and TB,” said the medic.
However, Prof. Killewo said that all was not lost citing World Health Organisation statistics over the years indicating declining mortality, decreasing mortality of child under five years of age, decreasing cases of malaria and measles not just in Africa but the world as a whole.
Prof. Killewo warned that global warming – an increase in the average atmospheric temperature which is sufficient to cause climate change – was on the rise. He described climate change as a transformation in global or regional climate patterns, attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.
“Some of the effects of climate change include rising seas, changes in rainfall patterns, drought and flooding, and the more frequent spread of diseases. These diseases include mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, Dengue fever and encephalitis, and water-borne diseases such as cholera,” he said, adding that climate change would increase pressure on food security pushing more people to alternative food sources where they encounter new diseases.
He disclosed were coming up fast due to the rising global population, a surge in animal meat consumption, dramatic increases land use and agriculture, accelerated encroachment on natural habitats for wildlife, increased demand for natural resource.
“All the above conditions collectively conspire to increase the frequency of interactions between people, their domestic animals and wildlife and the opportunities for new diseases to emerge,” said Prof. Killewo.
Prof. Killewo said that globalization had resulted in world travel which ensures that nothing was local anymore allowing diseases to spread very fast across borders.
“People, animals and environment have converged and new, deadly disease have emerged.”
Prof. Killewo revealed that a new global health paradigm called ‘One Health’ or ‘Eco-Health’ had been formulated to promote sectoral collaboration. The paradigm paves the way for preparedness, prevention, detection and response to these diseases.
The university don noted that the world was currently witnessing the 5-8 Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) per year, with number projected to increase to 30 new EIDs by the year 2030.
He warned that common diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and cholera will no longer be treatable due to anti-microbial resistance (AMR). He said epidemics of these diseases were already occurring at alarming rates but added that AMR could be prevented.
On preparedness to tackle epidemics and EIDs, Prof. Killewo said medical practitioners must use “Risk-Based” Models to Target Surveillance.
“The origins of newly emergent diseases have been found to strongly correlate with specific geographic areas, animal hosts, microbial agents and “high risk” populations.”
He said that the geographical distribution or home range of fruit bats corresponds with countries which have experienced Ebola outbreaks.
He described ‘high risk’ populations as people with high levels of exposure to wild animals such as hunters, butchers, traders and consumers of wild game; settlers and domestic animals near wildlife areas, and; loggers, miners, road builders.
“Using these “risk-based” models we will be better prepared to prevent, detect and respond to these potential epidemics and pandemics.”
He disclosed that WHO had developed several guidelines for preparedness of epidemics/pandemics. The WHO guidelines involve four steps: Pre-epidemic preparedness; Alert Phase; Outbreak, Response and Containment Operations, and; Post-epidemic evaluation to help encounter the next wave of epidemic.
“The good news is most emerging pandemic threats are preventable if we can start from the animal world where these viruses may exist even without causing any diseases among them.”
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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.
East African Legislative Assembly; Kigali, Rwanda; 16 March 2017: EALA has adjourned the enactment of the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill 2016 in order to allow more room for consultations. The Motion for adjournment of the Bill was moved by the Chair of Council of Ministers and Deputy Minister of EAC, United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Dr Susan Kolimba under Rule 30 (c ) of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly.
The Minister moved the Motion in order to allow for further scrutiny of various amendments, as well as the incorporation of views of the apex body of the Private Sector, the East African Business Council. In addition, the time allows for the views of the United Republic of Tanzania to be incorporated.
The Bill whose mover is Hon. Patricia Hajabakiga aims at providing a legal framework for the preservation of a clean and healthy environment through the prohibition of manufacturing, sale, importation and use of polythene materials. The Bill was re-introduced afresh during the Sitting held in August 2016 in Arusha, Tanzania.
Hon. AbuBakr Ogle said while there was need to protect the environment the region must look at the bigger picture, he said while citing statistics from the global green environment movement.
“Polythene bags take a month to decompose, plywood 1-3 years, cigarette butts 10-12 years and soapwood for example take between one to three years, while plastic containers may take as many as 50-80 years to degrade,” he said.
“The business community under EABC have some good proposals on the way forward. It is only fair that we listen to them”, he said.
“The Bill as currently constituted does not fully capture the essence of the views of stakeholders. Let us give it more time,” he added.
Even as the motion for adjournment sailed through, a preceding report indicated that Partner States are indeed in support of the Bill. However, polythene manufacturers especially in the Republics of Kenya and Uganda while understanding the concerns of the Committee of Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources, are taken aback by the heavy investments they have put in the sector.
Addressing the House, the Chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources, Hon. Valerie Nyirahabineza observed there were best practices with regard to alternatives of plastic bags like banana materials used in the Republics of Burundi and Rwanda which can emulated in the entire region.
Chapter 19 of the Treaty for the EAC enjoins Partner States to co-operate in all issues of environmental and Natural resources management, while Articles 112(1) and 112(2) a) b) c) and h) urge Partner States to adopt common environment control regulations, incentives and standards. It further encourages the manufacture and use of bio-degradable pesticides, herbicides and packaging materials while adopting common environmental standards.
According to the report, Burundi is in total agreement with the Bill and is very supportive to it. Since 2000, the Government has promoted policies on environmental management and sanitation through some projects on waste management in urban areas.
The report says stakeholders in Kenya invited to the public hearing of the Committee included officials from Ministries of EAC, Labor and Trade, Environment, Parliamentarians from the Committee on Environment, Human Rights – based civil society organizations and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM). “Stakeholders support the Bill and think that it can be significantly improved by addressing the issue of waste management. But they expressed the need to balance between eradicating the polythene menace and protection of investments’, the report says in part.
In Uganda, Hon. Valerie Nyirahabineza informed the House of a law banning plastics which was enacted in April 2015.
“There are continuous awareness creation campaigns and proposals to restrict the ”kaveera” (plastic carrier bag) ban of 30 microns”, she said.
Representatives of the manufacturers (Uganda Manufacturers Association - UMA) said they had been left out during consultations on the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill, 2016. For that purpose, the Committee interacted with them in Kigali, Rwanda on Wednesday 8th March 2017. In the presentations, UMA stressed the importance of waste management through recycling as a way reducing negative impacts of plastics on environment. In the alternative, UMA recommended that polythene industries be regulated by the 3 Rs solution (reduce, re-use and recycle). Their plea to the Committee thus was to let EAC countries continue using polythene materials, then re-use, reduce and recycle them.
The Republic of Rwanda on its part is in full support of the Bill as the plastic usage ban started in 2004 after a Policy was approved by Cabinet. Four years later, the country enacted a law which is enforce.
The United Republic of Tanzania is yet to submit their submissions according to the Chair of the Committee. “A letter was sent to the United Republic of Tanzania requesting them to send their submissions”, she told the House.
The apex body of the Private Sector in the region, East African Business Council wrote to the Speaker of EALA, Rt Hon. Daniel F. Kidega requesting for further consultations and more time for the Private Sector to submit their Memorandum on the bill.
During submission, Hon. Mumbi Ngaru lamented over the frustration and pain of implementing waste management system and said there was need to rid the region of polythene materials. She however noted the ban will interfere with the national economies in terms of loss of jobs and other incentives in the private sector.
Hon. Dora Byamukama said time had come to rid the region of polythene bags.
“Sometimes I travel from Kigali to Katuna to Kabale in Uganda. When you travel to Rwanda, you are compelled to dump the plastics and polythene bags before you cross into Rwanda. When travelling towards Uganda, you witness and see the actual dump of plastics even on the roads. The issue is really clear. How much longer should we wait and what is sufficient consultation? she posed.
“A time is coming when we shall be unable to have recourse for the polythene materials. We need to take action now…let our grandchildren coming after us, not suffer from our non-action,” she said.
Hon. Maryam Ussi said the comments from the United Republic of Tanzania were expected to be dispatched. We need to wait since all Heads of State shall be entitled to assent to it.
Hon. Nancy Abisai remarked that ideally, there was need to enact the Bill. “However, we must be alive to the processes happening around us. Let us allow for the proposals to be looked at so that we have consensus on the Bill”, she added.
Others who supported the Bill were Hon. Shyrose Bhanji, Hon. Mike Sebalu, Hon. Susan Nakawuki, Hon. Mukasa Mbidde, Hon. Oda Gasinzigwa, Hon. Joseph Kiangoi, and Hon. Taslima Twaha. Hon. Chris Opoka, Hon. Martin Ngoga and Hon. Nusura Tiperu also supported the Bill.
Deputy Minister for EAC, Maganda Julius Wandera said the Bill was key to contain environmental degradation. “The Bill is popular across the region. However, he called on the House to take cognizance of the petition by EABC – which represents the business people”, he said.
Rule 30 ( c ) of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly states that a Motion for adjournment may be moved without notice.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment in Kenya released a gazette notice banning the plastic bags effective on September 1st 2016 in the country. The notice signed by Hon. Judi Wakhungu, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources says in part,
“it is notified to the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and natural resources has with effect from 6 months from the date of the notice and banned the use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging defined as follows:” a) Carrier bag – bag constructed with handles and with or without gussets; b) Flat bag – bag constructed without handles and with or without gussets.
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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.
East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanzania; 02 March 2017: The East African Global Impact Challenge 2017 was launched today by the East African Community Secretary General, Amb Liberat Mfumukeko in the company of Dr. Nicholas Haan, Director of Global Grand Challenges at Singularity University in California, United States America.
The purpose of the SingularityU East Africa Global Impact Challenge is to foster moonshot innovations and startups that positively impact the lives of people living in East Africa, with an ability to scale and impact a billion people worldwide in 10 years.
The challenge is to submit an innovative idea to solve a critical social or environmental issue. This year’s theme is Climate Change, including solutions for prevention, adaptation, and mitigation. The innovative idea must have relevance in the East Africa Region as well as address a global issue. The innovation should utilize cutting-edge technology.
With financial support from Google, Singularity University will provide the winner full scholarship to its prestigious Global Solutions Program—a 10 week program held at Singularity University’s campus within the NASA Ames Research Park in the centre of Silicon Valley, United States.
The deadline for submission of applications is 23rd March 2017. The winner of the Challenge will be selected during a pitch event that will be held on March 23rd this year in Nairobi, Kenya.
Addressing the media at the launch, the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko stated that the East African Global Impact Challenge 2017 comes at a very important and appropriate time for EAC because it provides an opportunity for citizenry to get involved in getting solutions to critical social or environmental issues.
“The East African Community recognizes Climate Change as a very critical issue. We have addressed it in the 4th EAC Development Strategy and will continue to address it in both the EAC Vision 2050 and the 5th EAC Development Strategy’’, asserted the Secretary General.
The Secretary General informed the media that EAC aspires to build the region’s ICT capacities to encourage innovation and increase competitiveness. “We are delighted to collaborate with Singularity University to build bridges between the Silicon Valley in the USA and East Africa’’
On his part Nicholas Haan, Director of Global Grand Challenges at Singularity University said the overall mission of Global Impact Competition is to encourage East Africans to develop innovative solutions to regional pressing problems with the hope that some of these solutions would be actually implemented in those areas.
He informed the media that increasingly, technology was in the hands of innovators around the world–including the people who are most facing challenges. This is a great transformation and is certain to create a plethora of solutions on local and global scales.” added Nicholas Haan.
Director Haan disclosed to the media that the climate change was selected as a theme for this year because it has consequences for every industry, geographic region, and way of life.
“We are looking for applicants from any technology or science discipline because we know a challenge as huge as climate change can only be solved within the convergence of multiple disciplines and exponential technologies’’.
Application Criteria:
The challenge is open to residents and citizens in East Africa Countries
You must be age 21 or older on the first day of the GSP
Must be fluent in written and spoken English
Able to participate for the entire GSP17 program
Applicants selected as finalists will be interviewed by a panel of judges on 23rd March 2017
Assessment Criteria:
Degree of solution’s relevance to the theme of the challenge
The regional relevance in solving the challenge in East Africa
Feasibility, Viability and Coherence of implementing the idea
Entrepreneurial and innovative potential, with a focus on technological novelty
Applicant’s leadership experience and quality, profile, achievements, and potential
For more information on how to apply for the East African Global Impact Challenge 2017,please visit http://giceastafrica.info/
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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.
