East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 11th October, 2017:
Good governance is an important ingredient for the success of regional integration in East African Community.
Dr. Susan Kolimba, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation in the United Republic of Tanzania, said that good governance in the EAC Partner States would lessen the possibility of instability in the region thereby ensuring peace and security which are the cornerstones of socio-economic development in the region.
Dr. Kolimba said that there was a need to address governance challenges which lie at the core of whatever efforts are deployed to promote the integration agenda, whether at the national, regional or continental levels.
“The challenge to us all is how best we can collectively address governance challenges that confront our region in a manner that responds to the opportunities that surround us,” said the Minister.
Dr. Kolimba further urged EAC Partner States to iron out contentious issues and finalize the Protocol on Good Governance as a framework for good governance in the EAC.
Dr. Kolimba was officially opening the 6th Annual Conference on Good Governance at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The two-day conference themed “Strengthening Democracy for Sustainable Integration” brings together national agencies/institutions responsible for human rights, anti-corruption efforts, electoral processes, judicial processes and legislatures.
On the convening of sessions of the East African Legislative Assembly, Dr. Kolimba told a media briefing held after the official opening that the Assembly would convene once the Kenya National Assembly had finalized the election of MPs to represent the country in the regional Parliament.
Addressing the conference, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge, said that while economic integration was a priority, it would not by itself be sufficient to enable the region to consolidate the gains and ensure mechanisms for equitable distribution of benefits.
“We need to look beyond economic integration for us to move towards the ultimate goal of our integration process – the Political Federation. Also we must realize that the East African Political Federation will not be an event but a process, and not an end in itself but a means to an end,” said Mr. Njoroge.
Mr. Njoroge noted that a number of the escalating violent conflicts and political instability in African countries were the product of undemocratic practices and good governance deficits.
“The resultant challenges thus far have had negative implications to achieving human security, reducing poverty and realizing other general human development. In the East African region in particular, countries have adopted different approaches to address violence and civil unrest mostly through judicial and security sector reforms,” said the DSG.
Also present at the official opening was the Judge President of the East African Court of Justice, Justice Emannuel Ugirashebuja.
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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 Headquarters, Arusha, 6th October, 2017:
EAC Secretary General Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko today received the Finnish Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania and the EAC, Amb. Pekka Hukka, who paid him a courtesy call at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Amb. Mfumukeko and Amb. Hukka discussed potential areas of collaboration between the EAC and Finland namely support for technical and vocational education, and student exchange programmes.
Amb. Mfumukeko thanked Finland for its continued support to the EAC especially through contributions to the Partnership Fund, adding that the EAC Secretariat had already finalized the recruitment of staff who would manage the Fund on a fulltime basis.
The Secretary General informed the Finnish envoy that the EAC would present its 5th Development Strategy and Priority Areas for the 2018/2019 Financial Year to Development Partners on 23rd October, 2017.
Amb. Hukka reaffirmed his country’s commitment to continue contributing to the Partnership Fund and supporting the Community in the implementation of its programmes and projects.
Also present at the meeting were the EAC Deputy Secretaries General Eng. Steve Mlote (Planning and Infrastructure) and Hon. Jesca Eriyo (Finance and Administration).
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.
East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanzania; 02 October 2017:
EAC Secretary General Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko (centre, front row) in a group photo with Ms. Karen Freeman, USAID Kenya and East Africa Mission Director at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha. Also in the photo are top officials from USAID Kenya East Africa office and the EAC Secretariat.
EAC Secretary General Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko (right) with Ms. Karen Freeman, the Mission Director of USAID-KEA. The two discussed issues of mutual interest between the EAC and the United States of America.
EAC Secretary General Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko (left) greets Mr. Patrick Wilson, Deputy Mission Director at the USAID Kenya and East Africa (USAID-KEA) office at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. Looking on is Ms. Karen Freeman, USAID-KEA Mission Director.
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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; 02 October 2017:
‘Today I learned that you can be bitten by a dog when you bother it and when it is sick with Rabies. I also learned that if you care for dogs they will be very friendly’, says 11 year old Clara Yuda Opasi, who is in Standard 5 C of the Imani Primary School in Arusha’s Sombeteni ward during the celebrations of the World Rabies Day at Imani Primary School on 28th September ,2017. The Imani Primary School is one out of 70 primary schools that participated in the celebrations of the World Rabies Day and Clara is one out of nearly 600 pupils who attended the awareness raising campaign around the risks connected with rabies at Imani Primary School alone.
Rabies is an infectious disease of public health concern, globally and in particular in the East African region. Rabies is the most fatal viral-zoonotic disease transmitted between animals and humans. Once an infected person shows signs, there is no cure.
Many humans and most of them children get infected by rabies through dog bites. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the vaccination of dogs as the most effective intervention against rabies. Decreasing rabies in dogs directly impacts on public health by reducing the transmission to humans. It is worth noting that care given to dogs can also make a huge difference in the fight against rabies.
This is one of the messages of Bernadette Mathias of Mbwa wa Africa, who thrilled the Imani teachers and pupils with her advice on how to care for dogs, how to prevent being bitten and what to do in case this still happens.
The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat in cooperation with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH joined the awareness campaign on World Rabies Day for the first time this year to set a sign that rabies is not only a Tanzanian, but a regional concern. ‘I would like to see this campaign rolled out in all our Partner States next year’, said Fahari Marwa, Head of the EAC’s Agriculture and Food Security Department.
The coming Saturday and Sunday the World Rabies Day celebrations will culminate in free of fee vaccinations of dogs all over Arusha City. Jens Fissenebert of Mbwa wa Africa urged the pupils to bring their dogs to the stations nearest to their homes. Geoffrey Muchai, Head of the Imani Primary School agreed with Dr. Onesma Mandike from the Arusha City Council and Joel Changalucha from the Ministry of Agriculture in the meaningfulness of the awareness day: ‘This campaign is very good and I have learned many new things, for example that dogs should not be killed to prevent rabies or about the high number of people who die each year from rabies – 1500, that is a lot’.
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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 September 2017:
Revenue losses from inefficient border procedures in some African countries are estimated to exceed 5% of the Gross Domestic Product, a Roundtable Conference on Trade Facilitation (TF) held at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, was told today.
Citing a 2013 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study, Mr. James Kisaale, an Assistant Commissioner with the Uganda Revenue Authority, said that reducing global trade costs by 1% would increase worldwide income by more than US$40 billion, with developing countries being the biggest beneficiaries. Kisaale said the areas that would contribute the most to lowering trade costs in Sub-Saharan Africa were formalities, namely automation, the simplification and harmonisation of documents, and information availability.
Kisaale was speaking during the opening session of the one-day roundtable on trade facilitation which brought together EAC Development Partners as well as Customs and Trade experts from the EAC Secretariat and Partner States’ Ministries of Trade.
The EAC Secretariat organised the Roundtable Conference to review and fast-track the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA). The Conference brought together Development Partners who will work with the EAC in the implementation of the TFA.
Opening the roundtable, the EAC Director General (DG)-Customs and Trade, Mr. Kenneth Bagamuhunda, said that TF was an integral part of the EAC Customs Union Protocol which explicitly provides for reduction in the number and volume of trade documents.
“TF also provides for the adoption of common standards of trade documentation and procedures, coordination and facilitation of trade and transport activities. There is also the reviewing of procedures adopted in international trade and transport facilitation with a view to simplifying and adopting them for use in the EAC,” said the Bagamuhunda.
The DG disclosed that an EAC Trade and Facilitation Sub-Committee has been established to, among other things, supervise the implementation of the WTO TFA at regional and national levels.
He said that Regional and National Implementation Plans for the WTO TFA have been finalized and adopted by the Policy organs.
“Amendments of regional laws, regulations and procedures; development of project proposals for resource mobilization, and; sensitization of stakeholders is currently underway,” added the DG.
He cited the Single Customs Territory (SCT) and the interconnectivity of customs systems among some of the key TFA components that have been implemented by the EAC. “The SCT provides for the free circulation of goods, reduces cost of doing business, reduces Non-Tariff Barriers, ensures competitiveness, boosts business predictability and promotes investment,” he said, adding that SCT is premised on the use of electronic systems.
Other components already implemented are: the establishment of One-Stop Border Posts; harmonisation of standards, reduction of Non-tariff barriers, and; publication of the EAC Trade and Investment report.
Speaking at the forum, Amb. Arthur Mattli, Switzerland’s Representative to the EAC, said that his country believes that bureaucratic delays and ‘red tapes’ pose an unnecessary and expensive burden for moving goods across borders for traders.
Amb. Mattli said the TFA would help developing countries diversify their exports and tap into global value chains.
He disclosed that Switzerland had so far disbursed US$3.5 million as part of its contribution to the TFA’s Trade Facilitation Support Programme, a multi-donor programme of the World Bank Group’s Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice which provides support for countries seeking assistance in aligning their trade practices with the WTO TFA.
“Every country is eligible to receive support under the programme. Eligible countries are expected to have demonstrated a strong commitment to implementing trade facilitation reforms in the areas covered by the WTO TFA. Moreover, the support programme will prioritize assistance to countries with other limited access to other donor support,” said Amb. Mattli.
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Notes to Editor:
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) entered into force on 22nd February, 2017 following its ratification by two-thirds (2/3) of the WTO membership, including two EAC Partner States Kenya and Rwanda. The TFA contains among others provisions relating to the transparency, expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. The agreement also sets out measures for effective cooperation between Customs and other border agencies on trade facilitation, customs and trade compliance issues.
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 September 2017:
Some 1,500 people die annually from rabies in the United Republic of Tanzania alone, according to scientific estimates. Official numbers are lower, because many cases are not reported and not all reported cases appear in the official statistics. Most rabies victims are children and dog bites are the main path of transmission.
Rabies is an infectious disease of public health concern for the entire East African region and beyond. Against this backdrop, the EAC Secretariat supports the World Rabies Day, which takes place on 28 September, 2017, through the ‘Support to Pandemic Preparedness in the EAC Region’ project that is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Rabies is the most fatal virus zoonosis (disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans) known to mankind. Once an infected person shows signs, there is no cure to rabies. In Africa and Asia, many humans get infected by rabies through dog bites. The World Health Organization (WHO) underscores the importance of dog vaccination as the most effective intervention against rabies, decreasing rabies in dogs and having a direct impact on public health by reducing transmission to humans.
“The planned Rabies Vaccination Initiative around the World Rabies Day is a striking example for the importance of close cooperation between human and animal medical professions and for the necessity of the One Health approach when preventing and controlling zoonotic diseases,” emphasise both, Dr Stanley Sonoiya, Head of the EAC’s Health Department, and Fahari G. Marwa, Head of the EAC’s Agriculture and Food Security Department. The EAC Secretariat strives to implement the One Health approach in the EAC Region.
The 28th of September every year is observed to commemorate World Rabies Day, a day that marks the anniversary of the demise of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine. While observing this day, we raise awareness on rabies prevention and highlight progress in the fight against rabies that puts human and animal health at risk.
Supported by the EAC Secretariat, WHO and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) among others, Mbwa Wa Africa Animal Rescue will vaccinate an estimated 5,000 dogs across 20 vaccination stations in Arusha City on World Rabies Day. In addition, Mbwa Wa Africa raises awareness in about 70 schools in Arusha on how to safely approach dogs and on how to read possible signs of rabies infection and to distinguish infected from healthy dogs. Weekly rabies awareness articles will be published in both English and Swahili newspapers.
The activities are planned in collaboration with the Arusha City Council in liaison with the Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health. The EAC Secretariat intends to support the World Rabies Day 2018 celebrations in all Partner States to further emphasise the regional significance.
This is especially true for high risk cross-border areas among local communities surrounding National Parks and Game Reserves. The latter initiative will target transmission of rabies in wild dogs and foxes.
Below are the vaccination stations and respective dates.
DATE
WARD
LOCATION
30th September
Baraa
Baraa Primary School
Elerai
Elerai Primary School
Kati
Uhuru Primary School
Kimandolu
Kimandolu Primary School
Kimandolu
Suye Primary School
Levolosi
Levolosi Primary School
Sekei
Kijenge Primary School
Themi
Themi Primary School
Unga Ltd.
Unga Ltd. Primary School
Sekei
Arusha City Livestock Department
1st October
Engutoto
Njiro Hill Primary School
Lemara
Lemara Primary School
Moshono
Wema Primary School
Olasiti
Olasiti Primary School
Olorien
Olorien Primary School
Sinon
Sinon Primary School
Sokon
Sokon Primary School
Sokon
Muriet Primary School
Sokon
Ghati Memorial Primary School
Sombetini
Sombetini Primary School
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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; 19 September 2017:
The East African Community meeting on orientation and planning on the operationalization of the Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases (RNPHRL) is underway at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The purpose of the RNPHRL meeting is to strengthen capacities in all five EAC Partner States to respond to pathogens of biosafety level 3 and 4 nature and other outbreaks of infectious diseases, prone to cause cross-border epidemics, by rapid diagnostic capacities that enable timely interventions.
The establishment of the RNPHRL has been necessitated by the growing challenge of epidemics and pandemics including viral haemorrhagic fevers (e.g. Ebola) with devastating impacts on health outcomes and the economy amidst limited infrastructure and human resource capacity of the National and Regional Reference Public Health Laboratory since most of the laboratories are at biosafety level 2.
The 19th – 21st September 2017 meeting will among others share experience among Partner States with regard to the operationalization of National/Central Public Health Reference Laboratories and other key national and international laboratories; orient the EAC Partner State Experts on the requirements for the operationalization of the East African Community Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases at Partner State and develop a calendar of activities/roadmap for the first year (running from October 2017 to June 2018) of implementation of the project including determination of the date and venue for the launch of the project.
Speaking during the opening session on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, Amb Liberat Mfumukeko, the EAC Secretariat Principal Health Officer, Dr. Stanley Sonoiya highlighted the importance of the EAC Partner State Experts to orient on the requirements for the operationalization of the Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases at the Partner State.
He disclosed to the meeting that the establishment of a high-capacity regional network of reference laboratories was prioritized in the 4th EAC Development Strategy (2011/12-2015/16) and remained a major agenda in the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Meetings of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health also referred to as the Sectoral Council on Health.
He informed meeting that the design of the Project has been aligned with the policy guidance and directives of 12th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health held on 22nd June 2016 as well as the German Development Bank (KfW) Project Appraisal Mission from 8th to 10th December 2015.
On her part, Ms Sanna Stocktrom, Project Manager from KfW said ‘’We are very happy with our relationship and our strong partnership with EAC in the development of the regional bloc’’
She reiterated that the signed financing agreement valued at 10 million euros with the EAC Secretariat on 23rd November 2016 to support the establishment of RNPHRL project underlines that Germany wishes to further strengthen the long-standing and deep relationship it maintains with the East African Community in order to contribute to the well-being and prosperity of its citizens”.
The RNPHRL meeting is being attended by Head of the National/Central Public Health Laboratory; National Head of Disease Prevention and Control; National Head of Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response as well as National Head of the Health Management Information Systems/Strategic Information Management from each of the Partner States.
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Notes to Editor:
The Federal Government of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW) has signed a financing agreement valued at 10 million euros with the EAC Secretariat on 23rd November 2016 to support the establishment and operationalization of the East African Community Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases (EAC – RNPHRL).
The establishment of the EAC – RNPHRL has been necessitated by the growing challenge of epidemics and pandemics including viral haemorrhagic fevers (e.g. Ebola) with devastating impacts on health outcomes and the economy amidst limited infrastructure and human resource capacity of the National and Regional Reference Public Health Laboratory since most of the laboratories are at biosafety level 2.
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; 19 September 2017:
The 2nd Meeting of the EAC Competition Authority to develop EAC Competition Authority Rules of Procedure and review progress reports for the Authority’s activities for the period January- June, 2017 was held on 13th – 15th September, 2017 at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania
Gracing the opening of the meeting the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko emphasized the importance of competition law and policy in the facilitation of regional integration.
Amb. Mfumukeko informed the meeting that the Community has huge opportunities which are attractive to potential investors. However, the EAC markets pose challenges to investors and consumers including the charging of high prices arising from anti-competitive practices such as cartels. These practices impede effective competition in the markets, added Amb Mfumukeko.
The Secretary General disclosed to the meeting that the community was also focusing on increasing investment in industrialization and agricultural sectors as part of her strategies to reduce the high rate of unemployment in the region.
He informed the Commissioners that there is need to have a conducive environment to create employment by attracting investors from the Community and the rest of the world.
Amb. Mfumukeko further informed the Commissioners that he was hopeful that they will create an impact in the Community as they play a critical role towards leveling competition regulation across the Partner States
On his part ,the Chairperson of the Commissioners, Mr. Sam Watasa reiterated that full operationalization of the EAC competition Authority (Authority) would help to address market distortions that affect private sector investments.
He also noted that development of Competition policy and law in the region was at different levels of implementation. Kenya and Tanzania have operational National Competition Agencies, Rwanda and Burundi had enacted laws but are yet to be operationalized. In Uganda there was a draft Competition Bill. He envisaged that once the Authority became fully operational, the processes of operationalizing competition laws in Partner States would be enhanced.
The meeting was attended by Competition Authority Commissioners from all the Partner States and staff of the EAC Competition Authority.
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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.
