Bill and Melinda Gates Delegation pays a Courtesy Call on EAC Secretary General
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 5th October , 2017:
The Program Officer of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. John Ndunguru accompanied by Director of National Payment System from the Bank of Tanzania (BOT) Mr. Bernard Dadi, today paid a courtesy call on the Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The two officials discussed a wide range of issues surrounding the EAC integration process including the Financial Sector Development and Regionalization Project, a project funded by the World Bank in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat which focuses on mutual recognition of national IDs for free movement of persons, access to services across borders, and mobile money/non-bank transfers.
Mr. Nduguru reiterated the importance of the EAC-Bill and Melinda cooperation in furthering regional integration efforts and re-affirmed the commitment of the foundation towards a concept for advancing financial inclusion in East Africa
He said the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been a strong supporter of the strategies and innovations that have extended digital financial services to the poor, demonstrating how they can overcome traditional barriers to financial inclusion.
On his part, Amb. Mfumukeko noted the strong collaboration that exists between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the East African people. The Secretary General urged the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand its support to all EAC Partner States since the foundation was only working with United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Kenya and Uganda at the moment.
“In my view, in order to get a buy-in of the Community, especially at the level of the EAC Council of Ministers, please consider expanding your support to the Republics of Rwanda, Burundi and S.Sudan," said Amb. Mfumukeko.
The Secretary General was accompanied by Deputy Secretary General in charge of Finance and Administration, Ms. Jesca Eriyo, and other senior staff of the EAC Secretariat.
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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.