East African Community Secretariat; Kigali, Rwanda; 06 August 2017:
Three Election Observer Missions including the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the International Conference of the Great Lakes (ICGLR) have given a clean bill to the Rwandan Presidential Election in which President Paul Kagame won with a landslide.
In preliminary statements at a press briefing in Kigali today, the Heads of Mission of the three Election Observer Missions (EOMs) said that the election was free and fair and that it was held in a peace and secure atmosphere.
The three, Hon. Moody Awori for EAC, Bishop Mary Nkosi (COMESA) and Hon. Arinaitwe Rwajakara further noted that all presidential candidates including the two from the opposition were provided with security and allowed to campaign freely across the country.
They noted that the media, both public and private, played a crucial role in the campaigns by according balanced and equitable coverage to all the presidential candidates during campaigns in addition to highlighting the key policy issues that were at the heart of the campaigns.
“It was noted that the media including the state-owned Rwanda Broadcasting Agency radio and television stations gave equal airtime to the three presidential candidates to market themselves to the electorate. The EAC EOM noted that while editorial airtime was doled out equally to the candidates, the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front was more visible in the political advertising segment as the only entity that bought advertising slots,” said Awori.
Noting that only the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front party had agents at nearly all the polling stations, the EOMs called on all Political Parties and Independent Candidates to facilitate the deployment of agents at most polling rooms.
In their preliminary recommendations, the three EOMs however called for capacity building especially the need to train polling clerks on election management.
The three missions also emphasized the need for continuous voter/civic education to empower citizens to make informed decisions on Election Day.
They recommended that the practice of playing loud music while the voting process was underway be reconsidered, as it appeared disruptive and noisy.
In its recommendations, EAC urged the Executive and Parliament in Rwanda to consider amending the electoral laws to further empower the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and enhance its autonomy.
EAC also asked the Executive and Legislature in Rwanda to consider legislation to provide for equitable public funding of electoral campaigns.
EAC advised the NEC to explore prospects of limiting support by security agencies to providing security and progressively delinking security personnel from transportation of election materials as per good international practice.
In its recommendation, COMESA urged the Government of Rwanda and NEC to gradually consider incorporating information technology in the electoral process, particularly the transmission of results.
The Rwandan presidential election was contested by the incumbent president Paul Kagame of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and journalist Philippe Mpayimana who is running as an independent candidate. President Kagame won the election sweeping 98 per cent of the votes cast.
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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; Nairobi, Kenya; 05 August 2017:
The East African Community Election Observer Mission to Kenya’s 8th August 2017 General Elections yesterday flagged off by the Head of the Mission (HoM), Hon. Prof. Edward B. Rugumayo in Nairobi, Kenya.
Addressing the Observers and the Media, the HoM commended the people of Kenya for so far conducting themselves with maturity in one of the most vibrant election campaigns the country had ever seen.
“I trust that this level of dignity, level mindedness and peace will be upheld throughout the campaigning period, on Election Day and thereafter,” asserted Prof. Rugumayo, adding that “a transparent and peaceful election will manifest the sovereign of all Kenyans to democratically choose their leaders and guarantee peace, stability and economic growth in the country and the region as a whole”. Prof. Rugumayo commended the EAC Election Observers for the dedication and commitment that they had displayed by agreeing to be part of the mission to observe the General Elections in Kenya.
The Head of the Mission flagged off 60 Observers who will cover 21 counties of the 47 counties in the country. The Mission is to observe that the elections are conducted in a transparent, credible, free and fair environment and are in line with the universally acceptable principles of democracy and good governance.
The Observers will follow the campaigns; meet election officials, the populace, candidates and other stakeholders up to and beyond Election Day.
The Observer Mission will release a Preliminary Report on 10th August 2017 after the election and the long-term observer team will spend two more weeks after the election to compile the final observation report with recommendations to the various stakeholders in the Kenya electoral system.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Mission has continued to engage with the various stakeholders during this period. He has met and held discussions with the Chief Justice, David Maraga on the state of preparedness of the Judiciary to the forthcoming General Elections.
The HoM also met the Chair of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Mr. Wafula Chebukati and engaged with the Presidential Candidate Dr. Ekuru Aukot of Thirdway Alliance Kenya (TAK).
The HoM and the EAC Observers received briefings by the Secretary General of the Jubilee Party, Hon. Rapheal Tuju, and from the Chief Executive Officer of the NASA, Mr. Norman Mayaga.
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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; Kigali, Rwanda; 01 August 2017:
he Heads of the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Election Observer Missions (EOMs) have hailed the Republic of Rwanda for holding a cost effective presidential election.
Hon. Moody Awori for EAC and Bishop Mary Nkosi (COMESA) further praised the preparedness of the Rwanda National Electoral Commission (NEC) to conduct the election slated for Friday, 4th August, 2017.
Hon. Awori and Bishop Nkosi observed that the 2017 presidential election would not be as expensive as the previous one held in 2010 in that the unit cost had reduced to US$1 from US$3 per voter.
The two leaders further said it was noteworthy that the NEC has just 55 permanent staff and would rely on 70,000 volunteers thereby cutting down heavily on operational expenses.
They further noted that the people of Rwanda were conducting peaceful and orderly campaigns.
Hon. Awori and Bishop Nkosi held a meeting at the Kigali Serena Hotel where the EAC EOM Secretariat is based. Both Mission heads have already met the Chair of the NEC to assess its preparedness for the election.
Hon. Awori informed Bishop Nkosi that members of the EAC EOM had already been trained, provided with observation gadgets and flagged off to the 30 districts of Rwanda.
The former Kenyan Vice President said that a multiple level general election as is the case in most African countries often brings about numerous logistical challenges compounded with the vast geographical sizes.
“In Rwanda, it is notable that there are only three candidates contesting in the presidential election,” he said.
Apart from the EAC, COMESA and the African Union, the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) will observe the Rwandan election.
Hon. Awori and Bishop Nkosi said that it would be ideal if the EAC, COMESA and other African observation missions present their preliminary reports jointly on 6th August, 2017.
The Rwandan presidential election is will be contested by the incumbent president Paul Kagame of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and journalist Philippe Mpayimana who is running as an independent candidate.
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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; 28 July 2017:
The East African Community attaches great importance to the promotion of democracy which will in turn guarantee political stability in the region.
The Head of the EAC Election Observer Mission (EOM) to Rwanda, former Kenyan Vice President Moody Awori, said that no country could expect to attain economic growth, peace and security without the stamp of legitimacy from its citizens.
“This is why we as a Community are keen on free, fair and transparent elections in all the six Partner States,” said Mr. Awori.
Mr. Awori disclosed that the Community will be deploying a total of 10 teams of EAC Observers to all the Provinces of Rwanda sampling 30 districts to assess the level of preparedness of the elections as well as the polling process.
“The Mission will issue a statement of its preliminary findings on the elections on 6th August, 2017 through a press conference,” said the former VP, adding that the EAC would subsequently release a comprehensive report through its policy organs after the end of the electoral process in Rwanda.
Mr. Awori made the remarks when he formally launched the Mission at a Kigali hotel.
The Rwandan presidential election, which will be held on 4th August, 2017, will be contested by the incumbent president Paul Kagame of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party and journalist Philippe Mpayimana who is running as an independent candidate.
The former VP said that in its assessment of the electoral process, the EAC Mission would be guided by the democratic principles and values outlined in the African Charter for Democracy, Elections and Governance, and the EAC Principles for Election Observation and Evaluation.
The EOM comprises 30 short-term observers drawn from the East African Legislative Assembly, national Human Rights Commissions, Electoral Management Bodies, Civil Society, EAC Youth Ambassadors and the Staff of the EAC Secretariat.
The Mission arrived in Kigali on 26th July, 2017 and will remain in the country until 7th August, 2017. It was preceded by a team of election experts from the EAC Partner States who arrived on 16th July, 2017.
The Mission will observe the concluding stages of the election campaigns and engage with various stakeholders as well as observe the voting and counting processes on and after 4th August, 2017.
Also present at the launch were the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge, and Ms. Flavia Sarafina, acting Director General at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and East African Affairs, Rwanda.
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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; 27 July 2017:
The East African Community is dispatching Election Observer Missions to the Presidential Elections in the Republic of Rwanda scheduled to take place on 4th August 2017, and to the General Elections in the Republic of Kenya, due to take place on 8th August 2017.
The Missions in the two Partner States are being undertaken in two phases; the Long Term Observer Mission/or Pre Election Mission (PEMi); and the Short Term Election Observer Mission. The EAC Long Term Observer Mission/or Pre Election Mission (PEMi) arrived in Rwanda and Kenya respectively on 16th July 2017 and will depart on 14th August 2017. The Short Term Election Observer Mission arrived in Rwanda on Wednesday 26th July and will depart on 7th August, while for Kenya, it will arrive on 30th July and depart on 11th August 2017.
In line with the Guiding Policy, the two Partner States (Rwanda and Kenya) will not observe their own elections.
The EAC Elections Observer Missions to the two Partner States are in response to the invitation by their National Electoral Management Bodies to the Secretariat as well as a response to the decision of the EAC Council of Ministers on observation of elections in the Partner States. The Missions’ mandate is to observe the overall electoral environment, pre-election activities, the polling day, the counting and tallying of results.
The members of the EAC Election Observer Missions have been drawn from different but complementary disciplines and includes, former Members of the East African Legislative Assembly (nominated by their countries) as well as Members of National Assemblies from Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan and Burundi; National Electoral Commissions; National Human Rights Commissions; Civil society organizations; and youth representatives from EAC Youth Ambassadors Platform.
Commenting ahead of the deployment of the EAC Election Observer Missions, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge says the two Missions were being undertaken pursuant to Article 3 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community which requires “…adherence to universally acceptable principles of democratic governance and in line with the EAC Principles of Election Observation and Evaluation.
The EAC Deputy Secretary General asserts that “as the region moves deeper in the integration process with the ultimate goal of having a Political Federation, EAC Partner States need to standardize their governance practices and should take keen interest in each other’s’ political and electoral processes”.
Mr. Njoroge contends that successful and peaceful elections in the two Partner States are of paramount importance to the regional integration agenda in order to underpin the outstanding milestones the region has so far achieved through regional integration. “Therefore we expect successful missions in the two Partner States and we very much hope that they will further strengthen the democratic process and advance development in the region’.
The Heads of the Missions are expected to prepare Reports for consideration by the EAC Council of Ministers ahead of transmittal to the respective National Electoral Management Bodies for implementation as may be deemed appropriate.
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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; 05 July 2017:
The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko held a consultative meeting with the leadership of the International Conference on the Great Lakes (ICGLR) Secretariat in Bujumbura, Burundi on Tuesday 4th July 2017.
The consultations co-chaired by the ICGLR Deputy Executive Secretary, Amb. Vincente Muanda was a follow up to a bilateral meeting held in March 2017 which revisited the Memorandum of Understanding concluded by the two sides on 1st December 2010, with a view to re-energizing its implementation.
The meeting, attended by Directors at the ICGLR and the EAC alternate focal person on implementation of the MoU, Mr. Leonard Onyonyi, reviewed the plan of action developed after the March meeting and underscored the need for enhancement of the pace of implementation.
The meeting identified the following activities as critical to the partnership and complementarity between the two parties.
Democracy and Good Governance
Fielding of joint Election Observer Missions in Kenya and Rwanda,
Twinning of the Nyerere Centre for Peace Research with The Levy Mwanawasa Centre, and
Cooperation and information sharing on enforcement of certification mechanism in the area of natural resources.
Peace and Security
Harmonization of Counter Terrorism Strategies,
Joint efforts towards promotion of human rights in Burundi,
Collective approach towards assessment of security situations in Burundi and South Sudan
Economic Development and Regional Integration-sharing of information on progress towards conclusion of a wider Eastern and Southern Africa Free Trade Area and other integration initiatives
Cross cutting issues that include Gender, Women and Children.
The meeting agreed on a close follow up mechanism that will ensure regular evaluation after very three months.
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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; Nairobi, Kenya; 20 June 2017:
A four-day planning meeting ahead of deployment of the EAC Election Observer Missions in the Kenya General Elections and Rwanda Presidential Elections due in August 2017, is underway in Nairobi, Kenya.
The meeting is being attended by officials from the National Human Rights Commissions, National Independent Electoral Commissions, Offices of the Registrar of Political Parties, and Ministries in charge of EAC Affairs in the Partner States of the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, and South Sudan.
Addressing participants at the opening session, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge noted that this was the first time the Community was engaging in two Election Observer Missions at the same time in two Partner States within a period of ten days. “That means we will need to double our efforts and level of preparations”, said the EAC official, adding that getting involved in Electoral Observation in the region is in fulfilment of the EAC Treaty objectives on democratization.
He said the upcoming elections in the Republics of Kenya and Rwanda were the last in the 2010-2020 Electoral Calendar and that the next General Election in the region will take place in 2020.
Mr. Njoroge disclosed that the upcoming Missions will be characterized by a slight departure from the traditional Mission composition as for the first time since EAC commenced Election Observations; the Community will not have the much-needed regional political dimension traditionally offered by members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) because the 4th EALA is not yet constituted.
“Additionally, we will be welcoming on board the Republic of South Sudan who are to take part in the Missions for the first time. As we deliberate we will look at ways of ensuring that the absence of the EALA does not in any way impair the quality of the observation mission and the subsequent Report”, assured the Deputy Secretary General.
In the next four days, participants will be able to share information on election observation as a democratic benchmark, prepare for Election Observation in the Republics of Kenya and Rwanda including discussing the deployment plans and insight into the Kenyan Electoral Landscape.
Participants will also be able to engage with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission of Kenya. Consultation with the Rwanda National Electoral Commission will take place at a later date.
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Notes to Editor:
Pursuant to the provisions of Articles 123, 6 (d) and 3 (3) (b) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, the EAC will be deploying Electoral Observers to the Presidential Elections to be held in the Republic of Rwanda on 4th August 2017 and the General Elections to be held in the Republic of Kenya on 8th August 2017.
The Observer Missions headed by Eminent Persons from the EAC Region and comprised of nominees from the EAC Partner States facilitated by the Secretariat will undertake the exercise in line with guidelines contained in the EAC Principles on Electoral Observation and Evaluation, which heralded the institutionalization of Election Observation in the EAC Partner States.
The EAC has previously fielded Election Observer Missions to Elections in the Republic Kenya 2013, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Burundi 2005, 2010, 2015, The United Republic of Tanzania 2015, the Repeat Elections in Zanzibar 2016, and the Republic of Uganda 2016, among others.
The deployment of the Short-Term Observation Mission will be preceded by Pre-Election Monitoring Missions whose remit will be to look at the playing field based on a number of variables. The length of both Missions will thus be 14th July to 12th August 2017 for the Republic of Kenya and 9th July to 7th August 2017 for the Republic of Rwanda.
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; 21 April 2017:
The 6th Meeting of the EAC Chiefs of Prisons/Correctional Services, was held on 20th April 2017 in Port Louis, Mauritius, pursuant to the EAC Calendar of activities for the period January to June 2017.
The meeting was held back to back with the 2nd Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA)-Indian Ocean (IO) Chiefs of Prisons and Correctional Services which was hosted and Chaired by the Republic of Mauritius under the stewardship of the Commissioner of Mauritius Prisons Service Mr Premananda Appadoo.
The meeting reviewed the Status of Implementation of Previous Decisions which included Cooperation agreement for the sub sector, Peace Support Operations: Progress on Development of Pre-Deployment Curriculum, Harmonization of Training Curricular, Implementation of Confidence Building Measures(Report of Benchmark Visit to the Prisons in the Republic of Uganda; Report of Mentorship Visit to Mauritius Prisons Service; Report of Benchmark Visit to the Republic of Kenya Probation and Aftercare Services)
The meeting also considered status report on the overdue establishment of a Prisons/Correctional Services Liaison Office at the EAC Secretariat.
The meeting was succeeded by the 2nd ESA-IO Prisons and Correctional Services Chiefs which provided a forum for the various participating states to share information and best practices on various correctional aspects.
The meeting underscored the need for emphasis on promotion of an entire correctional continuum approach that would relieve Prisons of bustling populations and give convicts an opportunity to pay back to society through community service and rehabilitation. The meeting further reaffirmed the need to pay attention to the phenomenon of Children in Conflict with the Law.
The Meetings thanked the EU for financial support towards supporting the implementation of the ESA-IO Maritime Security Strategy through which a special community of practice is being promoted through networking, within a south- south cooperation context.
The meeting highlighted the increasing challenges being occasioned to the penal system by crimes committed in the sea and underscored the need for burden sharing in this process. The Representation from the Indian Ocean Commission also participated in the ESA-IO component and highlighted the ESA-IO Partnership between the EU on the one hand and the EAC ,COMESA,IOC and IGAD on the other in promoting through a multi-dimensional approach, Maritime Safety and Security in the Indian Ocean, critical to the economies of both littoral and inland states. The Outcomes directly contribute to the achievement of the Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy.
The meetings concluded with benchmark visits to the various categories of Prisons in Mauritius which have achieved ISO Certification.
The Republic of Uganda, current chair of the African Correctional Services Association, (ACSA), invited all participating states as well as the EAC Secretariat to the upcoming 4th Biennial Conference to be hosted by the Republic of Rwanda as from 15th to 18th May 2017 in Kigali, Rwanda.
The meeting noted this as a key ingredient in promoting a contextualized community of practice in Africa as a Region.
The meeting Chaired by the Deputy Commissioner General of the Uganda Prison Service, Mr. James Mwanje, was attended by Director General of Burundi Penitentiary Administration, Mr Gervais Hajayandi; the Assistant Commissioner General of Kenya Prison Service, Ms Wanini Kireri; the Commissioner General Rwanda Correctional Service, Mr.George Rwigamba; and the Deputy Director General/Finance and Administration, South Sudan Prison Service, Lt Gen Andrew Monybeeng. The United Republic of Tanzania did not send representation.
The meeting was also attended by Senior Officials from the EAC Coordination Ministries, Probation/Aftercare and Children’s Services.
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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; Bagatelle, Mauritius; 12 April 2017:
“The recent events [with three acts of piracy off the Somali coasts after five years of calm], reminded us that maritime insecurity remains a major challenge in the Western Indian Ocean. That is why we must not slacken our efforts”.
On the occasion of the opening of the fifth Steering Committee of the Regional Programme for the Promotion of Maritime Security (MASE), on the 6th of April 2017 in Bagatelle (Mauritius), Indian Ocean Commission’s (IOC) General-Secretary, Hamada Madi, enjoined the regional organizations and the countries of the Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, as well as the international community to “remain mobilised in our region that is strategic for world trade”.
Indeed, “our region is crisscrossed by many maritime highways. For our countries, maritime trade, fisheries and seaside tourism are essential for our economies. The added value of the EU-financed MASE Programme lies in the fact that it is covering all aspects of maritime security and safety”, said the IOC General-Secretary. In this respect, he welcomes the operationalization of the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre in Madagascar and the Regional Maritime Operational Coordination Centre in Seychelles, two useful tools for securing maritime zones.
“We have a range of myriad issues taking place off the coast of Somalia, that is not only piracy but illegal fishing, arms and human trafficking which continue to challenge the region. I do hope together we shall overcome”, declared Ambassador Tewolde Gebremeskel, Director of IGAD Peace and Security Division.
IGAD thus committed to redouble its efforts to working with the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the IOC within the MASE Programme in order to achieve practical results in the realm of security and governance in the maritime domain as well as in social and economic domains such as livelihoods for coastal communities that are the causal factor of maritime criminality.
Confirming that the root causes of piracy is at land, the EU Ambassador Marjaana Sall recalled that the European Union was the largest donor in Somalia, with over EUR 1.2 billion spent on development and capacity building. She also underlined EU overall contribution to maritime security in the region, in particular with the MASE Programme.
The fifth Steering Committee made it possible to take stock of the progresses of the MASE Programme activities, as well to start the process regarding the next Programmes on maritime security and safety in ports to be funded by the 11th European Development Fund.
The members of the MASE Programme’s Steering Committee noted the IGAD’s commitment to engage with the new Somalia Federal Government at the highest level, and its will to continue engaging with the Federal Maritime Security Coordination Committees and the Regional States, in order to realize optimum Result 1 outcomes.
The Steering Committee also noted with interest the offer by the Republic of Mauritius to host a Center of Excellence for prison staff training. ESA-IO Chiefs of Prisons will visit the Prisons Training School in the course of their 2nd Meeting to be held in Mauritius under the coordination of EAC in late April 2017.
Furthermore, it has been recommended that COMESA and EAC should benefit from the possible synergies in the implementation of their respective activities in the MASE Programme supporting Law Enforcement Agencies, notably the financial regulation institutions and legal and judiciary bodies.
Finally, the members of the Steering Committee support the development of a good collaboration between MASE, through the IOC’s Anti-Piracy Unit, and Crimario, the EU-funded Critical Maritime Routes in the Indian Ocean Programme, that should continue as part of the operationalization of the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre and the Regional Maritime Operational Coordination Centre.
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Notes to Editor:
The MASE Programme aims at promoting maritime security and safety in the Western Indian Ocean. Coordinated by IGAD, it comprises five result areas implemented by ESA-IO regional organizations:
Result 1 – IGAD: Alternative livelihoods through vocational development initiatives and advocacy against piracy are supported; maritime coordination mechanisms are reinforced in Somalia;
Result 2 – EAC: National & regional legal, legislative and infrastructural capabilities for arrest, transfer, detention and procesution of pirates are developed and strengthened;
Result 3 – COMESA: Regional capacity to disrupt the financial networks of pirate leaders and their financier while also addressing the structural vulnerability factors and minimize the economic impact of piracy is strengthened;
Result 4 – IOC: National and regional capacity for maritime tasks and support functions are enhanced;
Result 5 – IOC: A regional mechanism for coordination and exchange of information is developed.
The regional organizations (IGAD, IOC, EAC and COMESA), implementing this Programme financed by the EU in the amount of 37.5 million EUR for the 2013-2020 period, are closely collaborating with numerous key players for security and development, including EU missions (EUNAVFOR Atalanta and EUCAPNESTOR), UN Agencies (UNODC, FAO), Interpol.
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; 24 March 2017: A delegation from the Kenya National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), led by Commissioner Hon. Morris Dzoro, was at the EAC Headquarters today on study tour, as part of the Commission’s visit to various Institutions of Governance in Arusha and Dar es Salaam, in the United Republic of Tanzania.
Welcoming the Commissioners to the EAC Headquarters, the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge noted that the mandate of the NCIC was to encourage national cohesion and integration by outlawing all kinds of discrimination on ethnic grounds; to fight hate speech and to provide for the establishment, powers and functions of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, and for connected purposes.
“Indeed your mandate and functions complement the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC and the protocols, strategy and mechanisms deriving from the Treaty” asserted Mr. Njoroge, adding that “EAC puts at the heart of integration efforts for the harmony and peaceful co-existence of the people of EAC Region
The Deputy Secretary General informed his guests that the Treaty and EAC Founding Fathers recognize peace and security as a pre-requisite for socio-economic development and achievement of EAC integration objectives.
He commended the delegation for the good work they were doing for the Kenyan people in promoting national cohesion, integration and peace, particularly during electoral period. “Without national unity, development and prosperity of Kenyan and any other EAC Partner State are illusive”.
On his part, the leader of the delegation, Hon. Morris Dzoro, commended the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge for spearheading several initiatives in the Political Affairs of the Community. He also commended the EAC Secretariat for steering the regional integration process in the right direction and said their visit will enhance implementation of their mandate.
The delegation was given a detailed brief on the functions of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), and on the EAC Early Warning Mechanism (EACWARN) and the EAC Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Mechanism (CPMR Mechanism).
While in Arusha, the delegation lmet and held discussions with officials from the East African Business Council (EABC), the East African Law Society (EALS), and the East African Civil Society Forum (EASCOF).
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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.
