East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania: 25 June, 2019: The debate and approval of the EAC Budget proposals for the Financial Year 2019/20, will now be delayed for another day following adjournment of debate this afternoon. EALA Member, Hon Rose Akol, this afternoon moved a motion for adjournment, (under Rule 30 (c) of the Rules of Procedure of the EALA), citing the absence of majority of the Members of the Council of Ministers, with only Burundi’s EAC Minister, Hon Isabelle Ndahayo in attendance.
In her submissions, Hon Akol lamented over the absence of the Members of the Council of Ministers who occupy the front-bench. “Ideally, in the respective EAC ministries, for every Minister, there is a deputy minister. It is absurd just to have one in attendance. We must therefore adjourn until such time when the Council of Ministers is represented and prepared to come and address issues on the budget. We cannot talk much when the front bench is empty”, the legislator said.
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 Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 21st June 2019: The Energy and Communication Experts from the Eastern Africa-Southern Africa-Indian Ocean (EA-SA-IO) Regions concluded today in Quatre Bornes, Mauritius, a five-day meeting that discussed facilitation of regional energy market and enhancing communication and visibility of the Project on Enhancement of a Sustainable Regional Energy Market (ESREM) in the three Regions.
The Energy and Communication Experts, who were holding their fourth meeting of the Programme Technical Steering Committee (PTSC) of the Project on Enhancement of a Sustainable Regional Energy Market in the Eastern Africa- Southern Africa-Indian Ocean (EA-SA-IO) Regions, among others, considered and adopted the Second Progress Annual Report (2018–2019) of the Project; considered the Status of Implementation of the Consultancy to Develop a Synthesized Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan (REEESAP-EA-SA-IO); received the report on the Implementation of the Communication and Visibility Plan of the Project; as well as the report on the status of implementation of the Consultancy on the RERA Transformation Strategy.
….Industrialization and job creation -key priorities for bloc
East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania: 19 June, 2018:Barely a week after Partner States presented their respective budgets, the EAC has this afternoon presented for consideration, budget estimates for the Financial Year 2019/2020, totaling $111,450,529 to the East African Legislative Assembly.
The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, United Republic of Tanzania, Hon Dr Damas Ndumbaro, presented the budget speech on behalf of the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers and Rwanda’s Minister for State, EAC in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Hon Amb Olivier Nduhungirehe.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 17th June, 2019: The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat successfully concluded a three-day cross-border Field Simulation Exercise, conducted on the Kenya – Tanzania border at Namanga One Stop Border Post (OSBP), with critical results and lessons for pandemic preparedness and response.
Over 250 participants from both countries, besides those from Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda took part in the exercise. The exercise was conducted based on a scenario of an outbreak of a disease that impacts both human and animal lives and their livelihoods, including agriculture, tourism, security, trade and the economy as a whole.The exercise created an opportunity in which participants were able to identify strengths and weaknesses and facilitate practical corrective actions at all levels.
Addis Ababa, June 14, 2019: The Eastern Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) has been launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Three East African countries will participate in the project including Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The project supports the development of highly specialized Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs as well as industry-recognised short term certificate level training, and will target regional priority sectors in transport, energy, manufacturing and ICT. EASTRIP will be financed by the World Bank as an IDA loan of $210 million and a grant of $83 million. $8 million of the grant will go to The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) to facilitate and coordinate the project and implement regional initiatives that would promote the mobility of students and faculty within and beyond the region and to establish a community of practice of TVET in the region.
…Agenda includes tabling of EAC Budget speech for next financial year
East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, June 14, 2019: The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) resumes its sitting in Arusha, Tanzania, on Monday, June 17th, 2019, for the sixth meeting of its second session.
Topping the agenda of the Assembly to be presided over by Speaker, Rt Hon Ngoga Karoli Martin, is the tabling of the EAC Budget speech for the Financial Year 2018/19, the anticipated debate and enactment of a key piece of legislation and possible adoption of several reports.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 12th June, 2019: The 3rd East African Bicycle Tour (Tour d’EAC 2019) themed “Integrate or Perish” is set for 1st August to 20th September 2019, with over 100 cyclists taking on an epic route of over 4,300 km around East Africa over a course of 50 days.
According to the Team Leader and Director of Campfire Logs Guild of Uganda, the lead organizer of the Bicycle Tour, Mr. John Bosco Balongo, the 3rd East African Bicycle Tour will be flagged off on 1st August 2019 at the Independence Monument in Kampala, Uganda by the 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Dr. A. M. Kirunda Kivejinja.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 12th June, 2019: A two-day training and sensitisation workshop for private sector and civil society on the opportunities and benefits of regional integration was held on 4th to 5th June, 2019, in Juba, the Republic of South Sudan (RSS).
The training and sensitisation workshop was jointly organized by the South Sudan’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs; the EAC Secretariat; and the GIZ-EAC Programme, within the framework of the approved EAC Consultative Dialogue Framework (CDF).
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 12th June, 2019: The 5th Meeting of the ad hoc EAC Competition Authority (EACA) concluded on Friday 7th June, 2019 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with the swearing in of Dr. John K. Mduma, as a Commissioner of the EAC Competition Authority from the United Republic of Tanzania. The swearing in ceremony was conducted by the Counsel to the Community, Dr. Anthony Kafumbe, while the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Secrecy was administered by the Registrar of the East African Court of Justice, Mr. Yufnalis N. Okubo.
Addressing the Commissioners on behalf of the Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, the Counsel to the Community, Dr. Kafumbe commended the Commissioners for their commitment to the EAC competition agenda and noted that their work was very critical in regulating mergers and acquisitions, and handling issues of market dominance and protection of consumer welfare in the Community.
