Ireland hails Partner States' commitment to EAC integration
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 12th March, 2019: The Republic of Ireland has hailed the commitment of the six East African Community (EAC) Partner States to the EAC integration process.
Ireland’s Ambassador to Tanzania and the EAC, H.E. Paul Sherlock, further disclosed that his country would continue to promote trade and development cooperation between his country and the EAC.
Amb. Sherlock said that Ireland’s experience within the European Union was that every regional integration process has its challenges which can be surmounted through negotiations by the member countries.
Amb. Sherlock said that Ireland would continue to provide support to EAC integration initiatives through TradeMark East Africa, a not-for-profit company established in 2010 to support the growth of regional and international trade in East Africa.
The Irish envoy was speaking when he paid a courtesy call at the EAC Headquarters where he held discussions with senior officers from the EAC Directorates of Customs and Trade. At hand to receive the Ambassador was Alhaj Rashid Kibowa, the Director of Trade at the EAC Secretariat.
In his remarks, Alhaj Kibowa informed the Amb. Sherlock that the Community was increasingly encouraging bilateral mechanisms among Partner States to resolve Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to trade.
Alhaj Kibowa said that all EAC Partner States assented to the EAC Elimination of NTBs Act 2017, adding that NTBs were continuously being addressed by stakeholders at all levels of the Community.
Alhaj Kibowa further said that the Community had embarked on ambitious infrastructure development in the roads, railways, ports and energy sectors to spur economic growth and trade in East Africa.
Accompanying the Ambassador at the discussions were Mr. Robert Hull, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Ireland in Dar es Salaam and Mr. Kenneth Gitonga, Commercial Attaché at the Irish Embassy in Nairobi.
With Alhaj Kibowa from the EAC Secretariat were Mr. Stephen Analo, Principal Customs Officer (Capacity Building), Ms. Flavia Busingye, Principal Compliance and Enforcement Officer, and Ms. Monica Mihigo, Principal Internal Trade Officer.
-ENDS-
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 EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001:2008 Certified