East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 22th November, 2018: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko and Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania and EAC H.E Wang Ke today signed the grant agreement worth 200,000 USD to support EAC integration process.
Speaking during the signing ceremony the Chinese Ambassador noted the great contribution China is making to the region especially in infrastructure both as an investor and contractor. Ambassador Ke said China is committed to to continue support peace building and good governance process in the region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 22nd November, 2018: The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has committed a grant of US$34 million (EUR 30 million) to the East African Community (EAC) to support the regional organisation’s immunization efforts. The EAC Secretary General, Amb. Libérat Mfumukeko, and the Deputy Ambassador of Germany to the EAC, Mr. Jörg Herrera, jointly signed the according Government Agreement in Dar es Salaam today.
With the additional grant, Germany will be financing the procurement of vaccines for children in the EAC against various diseases including measles, rotavirus, pneumococcus, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and yellow fever. The programme will be financed through KfW, the German Development Bank and implemented in collaboration with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The cooperation aims at reducing child mortality in the region and mainly targets newborns.
This new commitment will bring Germany`s contribution to EAC’s regional immunization programmes to approximately US$170 million (EURO 150 million) since 2012. To date, German Development Cooperation with the EAC has financed over 60 million doses of life-saving vaccines for the region and the average immunization coverage in the region was substantially increased, making the EAC’s immunization programmes the strongest in Sub-Sahara Africa.
"Germany is a committed partner to the East African regional integration process. We are proud that our cooperation with the EAC and the Gavi Alliance is contributing greatly to improve child health in the region,” said Amb. Herrera.
Amb. Herrera further said that vaccinations were a highly effective and cost effective means to fight child mortality, adding that particularly focus needs to be put on children from poor families as they often lack sufficient access to quality health care.
Mr Herrera also commended the EAC for its comprehensive approach to address priority health issues in the EAC region such as the control and prevention of infectious diseases, and pandemics and mother and child health.
EAC and Germany celebrated their 20th anniversary of development cooperation last month after holding successful Government Negotiations at the EAC Headquarters. Health is one of the two focal areas of the two sides, the other being Regional Economic and Social Integration.
Germany development cooperation, through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), has to date contributed to regional integration in East Africa through a variety of programmes and projects in these areas. With the new commitments signed today, Germany's funding for Technical and Financial Cooperation with the EAC amounts to over US$350 million.
The Secretary General was accompanied by the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge, Chef de Cabinet, Dr. James Njagu, and the Principal Legal Officer, Mr. Michel Ndayikengurukiye. From the German Embassy’s side, the Head of Regional Cooperation, Ms Norzin Grigoleit-Dagyab, and Political Officer Pamela Kanora were present as well as Ms Annika Calov, KfW Country Director to Tanzania and the EAC, and Pascal Kanyinyi, KfW’s Senior Project Coordinator Health.
-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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 22th November, 2018: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, received credentials from the Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E Ambassador Shinichi Goto, who has also been accredited to the EAC.
In the Ambassador’s accreditation letter dated 10th October, 2018, and addressed to the Secretary General, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Tano Kono, appoints Amb. Shinichi Goto as the Japanese representative to the EAC.
During their discussion, the Secretary General briefed Amb. Goto on the current achievements on the pillars of the regional integration and development process. He said the Community had expanded tremendously within a short spell of time,a development which has necessitated the Community to review its institutional set-up.
Amb. Mfumukeko further informed the Japanese envoy on the status of the Tripartite agreement between EAC, COMESA and SADC. They also discussed potential areas for collaboration between Japan and the EAC on trade and investment.
In his remarks, Amb. Goto hailed the Secretary General for the good work in deepening the regional integration agenda. He said achieving the Customs Union, Common Market and a Monetary Union within such a short time for the Community was commendable.
Also present at the accreditation ceremony were the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Eng. Steven Mlote.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
In order to support promotion of the Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi sector of the regional economy, the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Partner States and Confederation of Informal Sector Organization East Africa (CISO-EA) has organized the annual exhibition since 1999. The exhibitions have proved to be strategic avenues for promoting the Small and Micro Enterprises sector’s products, transfer of technologies, and promotion of the regional integration process.
-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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 20th November, 2018: The 19th edition of the annual East African Community Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi Exhibition is set for 2nd to 10th December, 2018 at the Eldoret Sports Club in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The theme of the Exhibition is Buy Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises (MSEs) Products, Build East Africa.
The EAC has been undertaking SMEs Development through the East Africa Jua Kali/ Nguvu Kazi exhibition. The exhibition is an annual event that exposes the products manufactured in the region. Organized jointly on a rotational basis by the EAC Secretariat, the East African Confederation of Informal Sector Organisation (EACISO) in collaboration with EAC Partner States, the event brings together artisans from the six (6) EAC Partner States comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
The first exhibition was held in Arusha in November 1999 during the historic signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC. Subsequent to the success of the Arusha exhibition, the EAC Heads of State directed that the Exhibition be held annually, on a rotational basis amongst the Partner States so as to enhance economic integration in East Africa.
Marking 19 years to date, the annual exhibition brings together artisans from the East African region for purposes of opening up new market frontiers for their products while bridging the knowledge and technological gaps between them.
According to the Director General Customs and Trade at the EAC Secretariat, Mr. Kenneth Bagamuhunda, the theme portrays the role MSEs are expected to play in the growth and development of the region’s economies. Mr. Bagamuhunda disclosed that so far 1,100 artisans have registered and confirmed their participation at the event.
The 19th EAC Jua Kali/Nguvu Exhibition will be officially opened on 4th December, 2018.
To participate in the Exhibition, exhibitors from Partner States (Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan) are required to register with their respective Confederation of Informal Sector Organizations and Ministries of Trade and Industry, while those in Kenya should register with the Small and Medium Enterprises Authority.
During the Exhibition daily symposia will be conducted to build the capacity of the artisans on integration matters as follows:
S/N
Topic
Presenter/ Facilitator
Day
1
Cross Border Trade, Simplified Trade Regime and dealing with NTBs
Republic of Kenya
3rd December, 2018
2
Products value addition
United Republic of Tanzania
5th December, 2018
3
Standards, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Testing (SQMT)
Republic of Rwanda
6th December, 2018
4
Benefits and opportunities from the EAC Integration to SMEs
Republic of Uganda
7th December, 2018
5
EAC Rules of Origin
Republic of Burundi
8th December, 2018
6
MSMES development and opportunities in the Republic of South Sudan
Republic of South Sudan
9th December, 2018
NOTES TO EDITORS:
In order to support promotion of the Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi sector of the regional economy, the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Partner States and Confederation of Informal Sector Organization East Africa (CISO-EA) has organized the annual exhibition since 1999. The exhibitions have proved to be strategic avenues for promoting the Small and Micro Enterprises sector’s products, transfer of technologies, and promotion of the regional integration process.
-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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 14th November, 2018: A meeting of the Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) convened in accordance with the EAC Calendar of activities for the period of September-December 2018 is underway in Arusha, Tanzania.
The meeting started with the Session of Senior Officials from 12th to 13th November, the Session of the Coordination Committee/Permanent Secretaries’ Session on 14th and 15th November, and will conclude with the Ministerial Session on 16th November, 2018.
Addressing the opening session of the Session of Senior Officials, the Director General-Customs and Trade at the EAC Secretariat, Mr. Kenneth Bagamuhunda, reaffirmed that the foundations of the EAC were premised on trade and economic integration hence the SCTIFI is the driver of the integration process.
The DG said that the EAC was now getting to 20 years after signing the Treaty in November 1999 and coming into force, 13 years of implementing the Customs Union and eight (8) years of implementing the Common Market Protocol. He said that the year 2018 was a turning point whereby the EAC was undertaking a comprehensive review of the EAC Common External Tariff and Customs Management Act 2004.
Bagamuhunda said that despite the progress being made, a lot needs to be done in regard to Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade to move goods across borders, services and capital.
He disclosed that the EAC Competition Authority was now operational but constrained by a limited number of Staff.
The ongoing SCTIFI is considering, among other things, the status of implementation of the directives and decisions of its meeting held on 30th May, 2018; Reports of the Sectoral Committee on Customs, Sectoral Committee on Trade, and Sectoral Committee on Investment. It is also considering the EAC Competition Authority matters.
-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.
November 2018- As many as 34 African countries refer to carbon mechanisms in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Therefore, many countries in Africa, including Eastern African countries, are interested in exploring the potential of carbon market mechanisms to reduce emissions and to implement their countries’ NDCs. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement covers several approaches for which rules, procedures and guidelines are in the final phase of being negotiated.
In this regard, the GIZ Carbon Markets Project in Uganda implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) together with the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centre (RCC) Kampala and the Secretariat of the East African Community (EAC) organized a Pre-COP24 Negotiators Forum for Eastern African countries (30th Oct – 1st Nov 2018, Nairobi, Kenya). The discussions focused on carbon pricing and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The workshop brought together more than 40 public and private sector participants from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Burundi, many of whom were experienced negotiators. Presenters at the workshop included Margaret Barihaihi from the NDC Partnership (NDCP) who gave insights on the support opportunities for NDC implementation; Olufunso Somorin from the African Development Bank (AfDB) who presented on the NDC Hub, an initiative by the bank to support African countries in the achievement of their NDC targets; and Amy Steen from UNFCCC, who delivered a profound analysis of Art. 6.2, the progress of Paris rulebook towards COP24 and the interlinkages of negotiation streams. Finally yet importantly, Rachel Boti-Douayoua representing the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) as a Co-Chair of the African Workgroup of Carbon Pricing, presented examples of carbon pricing approaches in African countries.
During the forum, participants had the opportunity to enhance their technical capacities on general rules, procedures and processes within UNFCCC negotiations framework as well as analyze and discuss the various textual options that are being negotiated under Art. 6.2, 6.4 and 6.8. To complement the exercise, the interlinkages of Art. 6 and Article 4 on accounting, as well as Article 13 on transparency were discussed. In addition, with the workshop introduced the position and key concerns of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) on matters relating to Article 6. Furthermore, participants had the chance to get a global and regional overview on carbon pricing developments.
As a result of the forum, discussions between the countries that sparked around Article 6 will be used to inform the East African regional consultations on climate change, which are currently taking place under the auspices of the East African Community Secretariat, supported by the GIZ Carbon Markets Project. The outcome of EAC’s regional consultations will then feed into the AGN’s position paper on Article 6 and other climate change related matters during COP24 in Katowice. In relation to carbon pricing, participants showed strong interest but highlighted that there is a need to strengthen their understanding on the topic and how it can be utilized in the context of their countries.
-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.
Kigali, November 12, 2018 - The Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence Project (ACE II) is holding its sixth Technical and Advisory meeting at the Serena Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda, from November 12th to 14th, 2018. The ACE II project is strengthening 24 competitively selected Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs) to deliver quality, market relevant post graduate education, and building collaborative research capacity in five regional priority areas of industry, agriculture, health, education and applied statistics. Sixteen universities in eight countries are participating in the ACE II Project. The five year project is financed by the World Bank to a tune of $140 million in form of credit to the eight countries which include Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Burundi, which does not host any ACE, is eligible to access services offered by the ACEs in other countries and regional capacity-building activities under the project.
The first phase, ACE I, was launched in 2013 in West and Central Africa with 22 ACEs and the second phase in Eastern and Southern Africa with 24 ACEs so as to create a collaborative movement across the continent to steer higher education towards science and technology. Combined, ACE I, ACE II and ACE III projects have a total investment of $600 million.
The Minister of Education, Republic of Rwanda, Hon. Dr. Eugene Mutimura expressed his passion for the ACE II project “because of the potential benefits and outcomes we expect this project to bring to the region.”
“It would be good to think about regional integration in terms of developing human capital resource required for our region as a bloc,” said Hon. Mutimura.
Prof. Alexandre Lyambabaje, the Executive Secretary of Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the Regional Facilitation Unit of ACE II, said that the main aim of countries joining the ACE II Project was to create a conducive environment for training highly skilled and competent scientists at Masters and PhD degree levels in identified key strategic areas.
Prof. Alexandre Lyambabaje, the Executive Secretary of Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the Regional Facilitation Unit of ACE II, said that the main aim of countries joining the ACE II Project was to create a conducive environment for training highly skilled and competent scientists at Masters and PhD degree levels in identified key strategic areas.
“Trained scientists are expected to help address the huge deficit of qualified human resources in higher learning institutions in the region and provide high level expertise to our industries, private sector and public sector,” he said. He added, “I am confident that ACEs will produce great scientific results out of their research activities.” He disclosed that IUCEA and the World Bank are in the process of establishing “Regional Incubators”. “The Centers that will host the Regional incubators will be selected competitively before end of the first quarter of the year 2019,” he said.
Dr. Sajitha Bashir, the Practice Manager, Education Global Practice at the World Bank said that the World Bank adopted a regional approach for higher education in 2014 to build capacity in Science and Technology. “The regional approach was adopted by the World Bank because we felt that to really create a critical mass of high quality scientists and to be able to do applied research of the kind of quality that is required, it would be difficult to do this country by country and a regional approach would be appropriate.” Dr. Bashir noted that it is important that Africa’s young population is equipped with skills.
“By 2040 our estimation shows that about 85% of the world’s young people will be in Sub Saharan Africa. It is important that a good proportion of these young people have high quality higher education and that there is a critical mass of highly qualified scientists and engineers and technologists who can adapt, assimilate and adopt technologies and also create new technologies to address the challenges of Africa,” she said. “I hope that this project and the other initiatives will make a contribution to equipping these young people and motivating them to contributing to Africa’s transformation.”
Rwanda, the host of the meeting, has four Centers of Excellence: the African Centre of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development (ACEESD) and the African Centre of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT) both hosted at the College of Science & Technology, the African Center of Excellence for Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science (ACEITLMS), College of Education and the African Centre of Excellence for Data Sciences (ACE-DS), College of Business & Economics. These four Centers will get a total of $20 million over five years to implement their projects.
As with the other ACEs, the funds will be used to develop new programs, expand enrollment, provide world class research facilities, build capacity among faculty and strengthen partnerships with leading regional and global institutions as well as the private sector. For example ACEESD has established a state of the art micro-grid research laboratory and a high performance energy computing unit. The Center will also work with the private sector for curriculum development, student internships and manufacturing of components for its micro grid systems.
Over the project’s duration of five years, the 24 ACEs are expected to enroll more than 3,500 graduate students in the regional development priority areas, out of which at least 700 would be PhD students and more than 1,000 would be female. By the end of the project in 2022 it is envisioned that the centers will have developed sufficient capacity to become sustainable regional hubs for training and research in their specialized fields.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 12th November, 2018:The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia to the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Mohamed H. Abdi today paid a courtesy call on Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, the Secretary General of the East African Community to follow up on the Somalia's application to join the EAC bloc.
Speaking during the discussion, the EAC Secretary General thanked the Federal Republic of Somalia for their interest in joining the East African Community. He assured Amb. Mohamed that the process is on course and the Secretariat will be sending a preliminary team to Somalia later this month to assess the level of readiness of Somalia as the preparation for the verification exercise team which will be constituted by the EAC Council of Ministers.
Article 3 (3) of the EAC Treaty sets out conditions for membership; including adherence to universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice.
Others are contribution towards the strengthening of integration within the East African region; geographical proximity to and inter -dependence between it and the Partner States; establishment and maintenance of a market driven economy.
On his part, H.E Abdi noted that long term development of each EAC economy was influenced by the success of the regional integration efforts and that individual EAC economies are too small to compete effectively in international markets.
Present at the meeting were the EAC Deputy Secretaries General in charge Planning and Infrastructure as well as Finance and Administration , Engineer Steven Mlote, and that of Productive and Social Sector, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, Counsel to the Community, Dr Anthony L. Kafumbe and other officials from the EAC Secretariat.
-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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th November, 2018: The 11th East African Community Armed Forces Field Training Exercise (FTX) codenamed “Ushirikiano Imara” 2018 was kicked off on Friday in Muheza District, Tanga, Tanzania.
The main objective of the FTX is to train the participants of the Combined Joint Task Force in planning and conducting Joint Peace Support Operations, Disaster Management, Counter-Terrorism and Counter Piracy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Tanzanian Minister of Defence, Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi said the joint exercises would enable members of the Armed Forces to share knowledge and skills on matters pertaining to defence and security.
“I am profoundly pleased that the exercise has taken on board a wide range of institutions like the Police Force, Prison Service, Immigration Department, Intelligence Services, Counter Terrorism Services, Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Community Development as well as the Red Cross apart from members of military,” said Dr. Mwinyi.
The Minister hailed the EAC Partner States for their active participation in the concept development, conference initial planning, and final planning conferences that enabled the exercise to take place.
“This is a vivid testimony that you have attached considerable value to this exercise and the entire integration within our community. Indeed, it is such commitment that is likely to propel us further in our endeavours,” added Dr.Mwinyi.
On his part, EAC Secretary General Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, in a speech read on his behalf by the Chairperson of the EAC Defence Liaison Officers, Brigadier General Geoffrey Tumusiime, said that the Exercise was being conducted under the platform of the EAC Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs.
“It is in line with a series of Joint Training Exercises conducted on a rotational basis in EAC Partner Statesaimed atenhancing the capabilities of the EAC Partner States’ Defence Forces, Police, Civilian Components and other key stakeholders in conducting joint operations,” said Amb. Mfumukeko.
“I take this opportunity to applaud the Partner States’ Armed Forces, Police, Civilian Components and all other Stakeholders for their commitment in participating in these joint exercises. I also commend our Defence Forces for going beyond the training exercises and undertaking joint operations in various missions such as MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of Congo, AMISON in Somaila, UNAMID in Darfur and other missions within and beyond the region, said the Secretary General
The Chief of Defence Forces in Tanzania, General Venance Mabeyo, said the contemporary political and security challenges facing the region and the word at large, calls for the regional attention to enhance the capacity to maintain peace and stability with the aim of creating conducive environment for social-economic development in the region.
“I am pleased to note that the conduct of this Exercise is yet another significant milestone towards the operationalization of our cooperation in Defence in the region,” said Gen. Mabeyo.
-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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th November, 2018: The Swedish Ambassador to Tanzania, H.E. Anders Sjöberg, today presented his credentials to the East African Community Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Welcoming the Swedish Ambassador, Amb. Mfumukeko said that the EAC was working on Trade and Investment Portals that would enable investors to access information on investment opportunities and projects online.
Amb. Mfumukeko said that the European Union was the Number One trading partner for the EAC, and urged Sweden to support capacity building for the private sector and to link business people in Sweden and the EAC.
Amb. Mfumukeko said the EAC was also working on the development of the financial sector and integration of capital markets in the region.
The Secretary General informed the Swedish Ambassador that work on the Constitution of the proposed East African Political Confederation had started with EAC Partner States nominating constitutional experts to the EAC Secretariat.
He said that the EAC integration process was a progressive idea which was gradually trickling down to the populace as they begin to reap the benefits.
In his remarks, Amb. Sjöberg said that Sweden was directly supporting sexual reproductive health programmes in the EAC through the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) while there was indirect support for the region’s financial markets and customs sector through a World Customs Organization project.
Amb. Sjöberg said Sweden was a keen support of free trade and export promotions worldwide since 50 per cent of the country’s GDP comes froms exports.
“70 per cent of our exports are to the European Union and 30 per cent to the rest of the world,” said Amb. Sjöberg, adding that increasing trade with neighbouring countries, eliminating Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and increasing the threshold for exports will be beneficial for all countries.
The envoy said his country’s current focus was on trade facilitation, reducing NTBs and e-commerce. Amb. Sjöberg noted that e-commerce had the potential to revolutionize trade in Africa as had been the case in Europe, North America and China.
He urged the EAC to create a conducive investment climate in the region in order to attract more investors.
-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.
