… Ministers call for fast-tracking of the establishment of the Regional Consultative Process
East African Community, Kigali, Rwanda17thFebruary , 2022: The East African Community (EAC) Conference to establish Regional Consultative Process (RCP) on Migration concluded in Kigali, Rwanda.
The main objective of the conference was to consider and discuss the proposal for the establishment of the Regional Consultative Process on Migration for the EAC as a platform for regional information-sharing and policy dialogue dedicated to discuss specific migration issues in a cooperative manner among EAC Partner States.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 11th February, 2022: Partner States Ministers in charge EAC Affairs; Interior / Home Affairs; Labour and Directorates of Immigration from EAC Partner States, the EAC Secretariat, International Organization for Migration (IOM) as well as other UN agencies will be meeting in Kigali, Rwanda from 14th -16th February, 2022 to establish a Regional Consultative Process on Migration (RCP) in the region.
The three-day meeting will provide a framework for the EAC Partner States to have an informal, discrete and non-binding dialogue on migration and governance issues in the region for the first time.
The objective of the RCP is to help Partner States to move away from a securitized approach to migration to broaden understanding of migration by appreciating that migrants and increased mobility in East Africa can contribute to national development, reducing poverty and lowering the unemployment rate among the youth, and other benefits.
The region has an estimated population of 195 million including nearly 5 million international migrants, over 2.8 million refugees and asylum seekers, and nearly 2.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region, with all countries being nations of origin, destination and transit for migrants, the displaced and other groups on the move.
With an increase in the flow of labour migrants from the region to destinations like the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), increased climate change-induced migration, forced displacement and migration, conflict-driven migration and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mobility, an RCP on migration for the region is timely.
The formation of first RCP dialogue process can respond to migration challenges in the region and maximize the development opportunities migration can bring.
The EAC region would not be the first regional economic community in Africa to enhance its approach to migration governance through an RCP. The Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA), the Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA), the Migration Dialogue for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Region (IGAD-RCP), the Migration Dialogue from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Member States (MIDCOM) and others are operational.
It is hoped that the establishment of a REC for the EAC region will be in tandem with the 2016 New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and the Global Compact for Migration.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, the EAC Secretary General, Hon Dr Peter Mathuki, said that the proposed RCP would benefit EAC through the creation of effective networks for migration governance and establishing a policy framework for migration and governance.
“The RCP will present a significant opportunity to improve the governance on migration, to address challenges associated with contemporary migration, and to strengthen the contribution of migrants and migration to sustainable development in the region,” said Dr. Mathuki.
On his part, Mr. Mohammed Abdiker, the IOM Regional Director for the East and Horn of Africa, said that the RCP was the results of the recognition by Partner States on the need to continuously dialogue and cooperate on migration issues at the national and regional levels.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka Senior Public Relations Officer Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 768 552087 Email: sowaka [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 3rd February, 2022: The regional meeting on the establishment of the EAC Regional Consultative Process on Migration (RCP) organized by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with International Organization for Migration (IOM) is scheduled to take place from 14th – 16th February 2022, in Kigali, Rwanda.
The overall objective of the meeting is to share experiences on migration governance in the regional and international perspective.
The meeting will be conducted through a session of Senior Officials on 14th February, 2022, session of the Coordination Committee (Permanent /Principal/Under Secretaries) on 15th February, 2022 while the Ministerial Session will be held on 16th February, 2022.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 19th November, 2021: East African workers and laborers are set to benefit through prompt intervention of challenges affecting labor mobility and employment, following a commitment to operationalize a regional technical working group.
This follows extensive deliberations between the East African Community (EAC) and the East African Trade Union Confederation (EATUC) on strengthening the labour, employment and migration agenda, held today at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 30th October, 2021: East African Community Partner States have been called upon to harness labour migration for economic growth by putting in place the right policy frameworks.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, Hon. Simon Chelugui, further urged EAC Partner States to always negotiate as a bloc with other regional economic communities and big economies in order to reap from the economies of scale.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 24th October, 2021: The EAC Secretariat in collaboration with International Organization for Migration (IOM) held a meeting of Chiefs of Immigration held from 18th - 21st October 2021. The Meeting was chaired by, Mr. Alexander Imbenzi Muteshi, the Director General Immigration Services, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Republic of Kenya.
Mr. Muteshi called upon Partner States to harmonise immigration processes to among others, promote domestic tourism and provide equal treatment to nationals of the EAC Partner States.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 14th July, 2021: The International Labour Organization (ILO) Director for the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, Mr. Wellington Chibebe, on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Receiving the ILO Director, Dr. Mathuki expressed his appreciation for the cordial and strong relationship between ILO and the EAC in the pursuit of the Community’s objectives over the years.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 22nd October, 2020:The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched the first Continental Strategy on Migration for Africa for the period 2020-2024. The Strategy provides an excellent opportunity to further develop synergies for more robust migration dialogues and outcomes across regions and with all relevant partners.
The IOM’s Continental Strategy was conceived to reinforce commitment towards safe, orderly and regular migration within and outside the African continent. Through multi-stakeholder engagement, it is expected to give impetus for adaptive measures for better migration management and scale up the positive impacts, opportunities and benefits of migration for the whole of society.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha,22nd June, 2019: The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat Friday concluded a three-day Training of Trainers (TOTs) workshop for Immigration and Labour Officers which was conducted at the Tanzania Regional Immigration Training Academy (TRITA) in Moshi, Tanzania.
The workshop was targeted at enhancing knowledge and skills of the officers with a view to boosting their capacity to implement the EAC Common Market Protocol and other border management related matters.
East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanznaia; 07 April 2017: The 35th EAC Council of Minister’s meeting has directed Partner States to commence issuance the New EA e-Passport by 31st January 2018, after the consideration of the different status of preparedness by the Partner States during their recent meeting in Arusha.
The Council directives came on the backdrop of the 17th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State directed the Partner States to commence issuance of the New EA e-Passport by 1st January, 2017 and implement the phase out programme for the current machine readable East African and National Passports from 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2018.
According to the 35th EAC Council of Minister’s report, Republic of Burundi reported that through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement had completed the process of procuring the EA e-Passport booklets and is ready to commence issuance by 3rd April 2017.
The Republics of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda reported to commence issuance of the New International EA e-passport not later than April 2017 while the United Republic of Tanzania will be ready to commence the issuance of EA e–Passport by 1st January 2018.
EA e-Passport is expected to boost free movement of people across the region and it will be in line with implementation of the Common Market protocol which guaranteed the right to move between countries in East Africa.
The EAC e–Passport will have Diplomatic, Service and Ordinary categories and is different from the current machine readable passport being issued by the Partner States. It will be valid for up to 10 years while the Diplomatic passport and service passport will be valid according to specific term of the service of the holder.
The standard international e-Passport will have a chip that holds the same information that is printed on the passport’s data page, the holder’s name, date of birth, and other biographic information. It will also contains a biometric identifier and have a digital photograph of the holder and security features to prevent unauthorised reading or “scanning” of data stored.
The new EAC travel document will come in red, green and sky blue —the colours of the EAC flag — but with text and national emblems, in gold to complete its face.The colour of the passport will depend on categories. For instance, EAC diplomats will carry a passport that is red in colour, green for officials and sky blue for ordinary people.
The outer front cover will have the words ‘East African Community’ in gold on top and below the name of the issuing Partner States will be pasted.
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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.
