Preparations are in high gear at the East African Community Secretariat for it to effectively take part in the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties (COP22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 12th Meeting of Parties to Kyoto Protocol (CMP12) to be held from 7th to 18th November, 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco. The first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA1) will also take place in Marrakech in conjunction with COP 22 and CMP 12. The main purpose of these sessions is to review the progress in the implementation of decisions and directives of COP 21/CMP11 and agree the way forward on the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The EAC delegation will be lead by the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Finance and Administration, formerly of Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Jesca Eriyo.
As part of the preparations for the COP22/CMP12, the EAC Secretariat with support from US Government undertook national climate change consultative meetings from 12th September to 4th October, 2016 in all Partner States seeking to identify national climate change priorities with a view of developing the common regional position to guide negotiations during the COP22/CMP12 and CMA1 sessions. Furthermore, the national consultations aligned countries’ road map for implementation of the Paris Agreement to the roadmap proposed by the EAC Secretariat.
In the preparatory meetings, EAC Secretariat facilitated and coordinated the national climate change consultations. Discussions on the review of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) in line with the Paris Agreement was initiated. Further, a consolidated common regional position was developed to ensure the region speaks with one voice in Marrakech.
Commenting ahead of the Delegation’s departure for Morocco, the Deputy Secretary General said at the COP 22/CMP12/CMA1 sessions, the EAC Secretariat will coordinate the participation of Partner States during the consultations and negotiations processes. Furthermore, the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with Partners, will organize side events to show case the achievements that have been realized in a bid to strengthen resiliency and sustainability of key productive sectors in a wake of climate change. The EAC Secretariat will jointly organize the side events with USAID/PREPARED Project, GIZ, IUCN, UNFCCC and ARCOS and will focus on the 3 thematic areas, namely;
(a) Enhancing Ambition – Pre-2020 Action; any issues that help increase and realize ambition (I) Forest Land Restoration and attaining the 2035 targets (II) EAC Mountains in changing Climate – An EAC Reality (III) EAC aiming to achieve sustainable Climate Change Finance by 2020
(b) Promoting Implementation – Methodologies, Showcasing of Climate Action, Global Stock Take, etc. (I) Green House Gas Emissions: Is EAC doing it right? (II) Disaster Risk Reduction Management – What should we learn from EAC?
(c) Providing Support to Developing Countries – Means of Implementation, Replicable Tools and Approaches (I) Achievements and lessons learned from the implementation of PREPARED Program; (II) EAC Renewable Energy Initiative: What to Expect from EACREEE? (III) Climate Smart Agriculture and the EAC CAADP: Where is the Nexus?
UNFCCC’s COP22/CMP12 is expected to mark the first step in the implementation of the Paris Agreement by devising the modality and mechanism for the implementation. For Africa in particular, COP22/CMP12 coincides with the increasing influence and confidence on the global scene, in light of African economies notable growth trends over past decade. Therefore, COP22/CMP12 represent a moment of opportunity for Africa to assert itself in global climate governance and ensure that the implementation of the Paris Agreement is guided by the Principles of the Convention particularly the principle of equity, justice and principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
The 1st International High Level Multi-Stakeholders Conference on Promoting Pharmaceutical Sector Investments in the East Africa opened today at the Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.
The three-day conference brings together key stakeholders from EAC Partner States including Ministries of Health, Finance and Industry, National Medicines Regulatory Agencies (NMRAs), National Procurement Agencies (NMPAs), AU-NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the private sector (local and international pharmaceutical manufacturers) as well as international development partners and investors among others.
The overall objective of the conference is to develop a common and shared vision for promoting investments in the regional pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.
In her speech read by Mr. Barrack Ndegwa, the Integration Secretary, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for East African Community Integration, Labour and Social Protection, Hon. Phyllis Kandie described the pharmaceutical sector is a critical area of cooperation in health matters within the EAC.
Hon. Kandie said the conference was therefore significant as it provides a platform for stakeholders to have a conversation among the policy makers, industry players, the civil society, as well as social and development partners on how to deepen cooperation in the sector. She disclosed to the conference that in 2014, the pharmaceutical market of the EAC was valued at US$1.9 billion, adding that it was forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 8.3% to reach US$4.2bilion in 2024. However, Kenya, which is the leading pharmaceutical producer in the region, with approximately 50% production and rising exports, supplies just 25% of the Kenyan market.
The CS added that Tanzania supplies a declining share of its own domestic medicines market, down from 35% in 2009 to less than 10%-20% today.
The Cabinet Secretary informed the participants that despite these developments, the Pharmaceutical manufacturers operating from within the EAC region generally produce at a cost disadvantage to larger generic product manufacturers internationally due to a variety of reasons including scale, expensive asset base coupled with older technology, higher financing costs plus a lack of integration with active pharmaceutical ingredients suppliers.
“This situation makes domestically manufactured medicines uncompetitive compared to imports and the regional pharmaceutical market is therefore dominated by imports with domestic manufacturers only meeting less than 30% of the medicines demand.”
She called for the Development Partners and other stakeholders to support the growth of the sector by engaging and addressing the concerns of the domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers and potential investors.
On her part, Hon. Josiane Nijimbere, Burundi’s Minister of Public Health and the Fight Against AIDS, said medicines have become a very important and powerful tool, now more than ever, in improving the health status of populations and, in the long term, for reducing healthcare costs and ensuring sustainable development through health working human resource.
“I am therefore delighted that the East African Community has decided to hold this conference in collaboration with our Development Partners here present and those who have not been able to make it, raise awareness of various stakeholders on the need to promote investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing.”
She underscored the importance of the health sector for the citizens of East Africa as the EAC integration agenda aims at improving sharply standard of living the East African Citizenry.
“To this effect, the development of the pharmaceutical sector and investments is equally critical if we want to achieve the objectives of the Community.”
The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christopher Bazivamo said that poor performance of the EAC health sector has contributed to shortage of essential medical products and health technologies, which could be produced within the region by EAC industrial sector.
“About 75% of the EAC pharmaceutical market demand is met through importation of medical products and health technologies while 25% is covered by domestic pharmaceutical production,” said Hon Bazivamo.
He urged Partner States to consider implementing incentive packages to promote domestic pharmaceutical production in the region which includes; a uniform preferential margin of 20% for all regionally produced medicines and medical devices in public tenders according to Article 35 of the Common Market Protocol; removal of duties for imported raw and packing materials, pharmaceutical manufacturing related equipment as well as spare parts for the equipment’s acquired by domestic manufacturers registered in the EAC; and classification and import restrictions for finished pharmaceutical products that can be produced within the region, based on regional capacity and quality audits of local manufacturers.
The High Level Mult-Stakeholders Conference on Promoting Pharmaceutical Sector Investments conference provides an opportunity and a platform for stakeholders to discuss and agree on strategic areas and policy incentive packages that promote EAC domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers and foster dialogue between policy makers, regulators and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
The Conference has been organized by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the EAC Partner States and Development Partners.
The Judge President of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), Hon. Justice Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, has on behalf of the Court congratulated Hon. Justice Isaac Lenaola upon his new appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kenya.
Justice Lenaola who has been a Judge at the High Court of Kenya has been promoted to the Supreme Court of Kenya after a rigorous recruitment process. His Lordship has replaced retired Justice Philip Tunoi, former Vice President of the EACJ. Until his appointment, Justice Lenaola was the head of the Constitutional and Human Rights Division at the High Court of Kenya.
The Summit of the EAC Heads of State appointed His Lordship Justice Lenaola as a Judge of the EACJ, First Instance Division, in April 2011 and consequently designated him as the Deputy Principal Judge of the same Division in November 2013, a position he still holds to date. Justice Lenaola replaced retired Hon. Lady Justice Mary Stella Arach Amoko from the Republic of Uganda with effect from 1st December, 2013.
The President of the Court, Hon. Justice Dr. Ugirashebuja hailed Justice Lenaola upon his new appointment and wishes him success in his new role as a Supreme Court judge.
Hon. Justice Dr. Ugirashebuja said that Justice Lenaola’s elevation from the High Court to the Supreme Court demonstrates the judge’s industriousness and commitment to serve, thus his being entrusted with a greater assignment.
His Excellency, President Uhuru Kenyatta swore in Justice Lenaola as a Judge of the Supreme Court on 28th October, 2016. Also sworn in at the same ceremony was Justice Philomena Mwilu as the Deputy Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya.
From the 2nd to the 4th of November 2016, the French Embassy to Tanzania, in cooperation with the East African Community (EAC), and with the support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, is organising a regional seminar on “East African Community: Exchanging and Trading with the Francophone World” at the EAC headquarters in Arusha.
This seminar was launched on the morning of Wednesday the 2nd of November by H.E. Mrs Malika Berak, Ambassador of France to Tanzania and H.E. Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, EAC Secretary General.
The aim of this seminar is to raise awareness on the added value of multilingualism and, more specifically, of knowing French for trade and exchanges at regional, continental and international levels.
As stated by the Ambassador of France to Tanzania during the opening, “French is a language spoken in East Africa, a “neighbourhood” language, a language of business. Multilingualism is a major asset to be promoted to the youth. Cross border activities are very important within the EAC as well as with its neighbouring countries. The development of these activities includes the ability to share one or several regional languages and the ability to speak one of the continental languages.”
During his opening speech, the Secretary General of the EAC underlined the following message “We as a regional body need to be open to different languages as we expand in addition to the current languages recognised by the Treaty, that is, English and Kiswahili. The 15th Ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of States requested the EAC Secretariat to look into the possibility of including French as a working language of the Community. In addition to this, a recent assessment by the European Union also recommended that EAC should develop modalities of including the use of French especially when advertising for tenders within the region to provide for the Francophone Partners States.”
This seminar unites representatives of the EAC and of the French Embassies in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, the EAC business council Director General, Lilian Awinja, as well as representatives of the African Union Commission and of the International Organisation for Francophonie. In addition, academics from different universities of the region (University of Nairobi, Makarere University, Open University of Tanzania, University of Burund) are also present. The Head of the Education Cooperation unit, Mrs. Odile Cobacho, is representing the French MFA. On the economic side, multiple companies are contributing to the round tables and the discussions, more specifically on tourism and hospitality.
This regional seminar ends on November 4th. All participants will return get back to their respective countries with relevant tools and advocacy material to contribute to the promotion of multilingualism and of the French language within EAC and the African Union.
EALA this week commenced the third round of sensitization in the Partner States with legislators targeting various stakeholders in outreach.
The sensitization activities, been carried out by the EALA local Chapters in the Partner States, commenced on October 28th, 2016, and shall run over the next ten days. The sensitization is anchored on the theme: “EAC Integration Agenda: Accessing the gains.”
The sensitization programmes target Parliamentarians, youth groups, representatives of the business community and local government authorities. Other groups include government officials, students and media in the respective Partner States.
In Rwanda, the EALA Chapter is scheduled to tour the Tanzania International Container Terminal Services (TICTS) Liaison Office as well as the Rwanda Standards Board to hold discussions with the stakeholders. Also on the cards are visits to the Nemba One Stop Border Post on the Rwanda/Burundi border as well as a tour to the Rusumo One Stop Border Post bordering Rwanda and Tanzania and at Gatuna on the Rwanda/Uganda frontier.
The Uganda Chapter on its part, has a date with students at the Kyambogo University on Wednesday this week and later on with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce. Yesterday, the Chapter was expected to hold talks with the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga. They shall also visit the Uganda Heart Institute which is an EAC Centre of Excellence and hold public hearings on four Bills before the House, according to a Program availed to the Public Relations Office. The Bills are the EAC Gender Equality and Development Bill, 2016, EAC Prohibition of Female and Genital Mutilation Bill, 2016, the EAC Whistle Blower Protection Bill, 2016 and the EAC Retirement Benefits for Specified Heads of Organs Bill, 2016.
In Burundi, the EALA Chapter was expected to commence their activities with courtesy calls on the President of the Burundi National Assembly and the Minister for EAC Affairs before heading to Muyinga Province. There, the Chapter will meet with the Governor then proceed to the Kobero One Stop Border Post. Business communities living at the border are expected to benefit from a visit where discussions on the benefits of integration shall take centre stage. The EALA Burundi Chapter is then heading to Ngozi Province to meet with stakeholders. It shall also take the opportunity to hold public hearings on Bills before the House.
The Chapter in Tanzania also commenced the sensitization activities with a tour of the Immigration Department in Dar es Salaam. The program also includes a courtesy call on the Chama Cha Mapinduzi Secretary General and EALA Speaker Emeritus, Rt Hon Abdulrahman Kinana, as well as sensitisation of different stakeholders in the coastal areas of Dar, Tanga and the environs. The Chapter led by Hon Makongoro Nyerere, will also visit the border post of HoroHoro, which neighbours that of Lunga-Lunga on the Kenyan side. The Chapter hopes to undertake joint sensitization with citizens who reside on both sides of the borders.
In Kenya, EALA shall visit Government authorities including courtesy calls on the Immigration department and its parent Ministry of Internal and Co-ordination of National Government. The Members are also expected to touch base with private sector representatives including blue chip conglomerate, Safaricom and the healthcare providers, AAR. Other consultative meetings with parastatal bodies will include Kenya Maritime Authority, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Communications Authority of Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Service. A number of consultations will be held with regards to the pending Bills in the House.
This is the third phase of the outreach programme following a successful phases held in the Partner States in April and June 2016. The activities hope to sensitise EAC citizens on the overall integration process and to promote liaison with key stakeholders in the process.
The outreach programmes also hope to keep the EAC populace informed on the role of EALA in the integration process and to enhance interaction between the Private Sector and the Civil Society.
Sensitization is a key component of EALA’s work. The EALA Strategic Plan (2013-2018) envisages a people-centered approach to widening and deepening of the integration agenda.
EALA Speaker, Rt Hon Daniel F. Kidega yesterday paid a courtesy call on the former President of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Facilitator of the Inter-Burundi Dialogue, H.E. Benjamin William Mkapa, in Dar es Salaam.
Discussions centred on peace and security in the region with H.E. Mkapa ascertaining the region had no option but to ensure tranquil is sustained for its progress and development.
H.E. Mkapa reiterated the need for the Partner States and the Community to stand by each other and to harness the strengths in order for the bloc to progressively move forward.
H.E. Mkapa said the Inter-Burundi dialogue remained a priority of the EAC, stating his intention to separately meet in the coming week with the Chair of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, H.E. Dr John Pombe Joseph Magufuli and the Mediator of the Inter-Burundi Dialogue, President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Museveni for further consultations.
The Facilitator, H.E. Mkapa expressed hope that the Dialogue process would bring all Burundians to a common understanding that will result in peace, democracy and prosperity in the country.
On his part, the EALA Speaker said that the EAC had a fundamental role to ensure sustenance of peace in all the Partner States. He remarked that Burundi was showing signs of tranquility, but added that there was increasing need to re-integrate all its citizens.
The Speaker reiterated that one of the issues that underpin integration is that of finding solutions to the problems that may bedevil the Partner States, which he termed as “part of enhancing the bonds of sisterhood”.
He lauded the Summit of EAC Heads of State for recently directing that additional resources geared towards the Inter-Burundi Dialogue be availed. He informed H.E. Mkapa the Assembly was eager and keen to debate and approve a Supplementary Budget on the same.
The Speaker said EALA would also dispatch a team of Members from two Committees, Committee on Trade and Investments and that of Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution to the border of Burundi and Rwanda to investigate on claims of restriction of goods and movement of persons at the border-point.
The German Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania and the East African Community, H.E. Egon Kochanke, today paid a courtesy call at the EAC Secretariat.
H.E. Kochanke was received at the EAC Headquarters by Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, the EAC Deputy Secretary General (DSG) in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko.
H.E. Kochanke congratulated Mr. Bazivamo on his recent appointment as DSG at the Heads of State Summit held in Dar-es-Salaam on 8th September, 2016.
The DSG and the German envoy discussed, among other things, how to strengthen the EAC-German cooperation for purposes of accelerating the integration process.
The German Ambassador expressed his country’s willingness to support the integration agenda by contributing to the Partnership Fund, which he described as a good instrument that enables EAC to directly access funds to facilitate a myriad of activities and programmes within the region.
Commenting on the progress of the dialogue process for Burundi Peace Talks, the German Ambassador hailed the Facilitator of the Inter-Burundi Dialogue, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Benjamin William Mkapa for being able to mobilize a large number of representatives to attend the dialogues.
Hon. Bazivamo also briefed H.E Kochanke on the status of EAC-EU-EPA; peace and security restoration and mediation dialogues in Burundi; as well as the status and procedure of integrating the Republic of South Sudan into the EAC.
He thanked the German government for its generous support to the EAC over the years, adding that the German government had extended 67 million Euros, which funds were channeled to finance various initiatives within the region for three years from 2015, for instance, the health and pharmaceutical sectors as well as Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) projects among others.
Hon. Bazivamo noted that the Community was working to achieve the most important milestones within the Customs Union (Single Customs Territory) and the Common Market protocol, which milestones he added would enable the benefits of integration to trickle down to the people of East Africa. He noted that the trickle down effects would enable the people to appreciate and embrace the integration process. This is the only way they will be fully aware of the integration process.”
Amb. Kochanke was accompanied by Ms. Lena Thiede, Counsellor/Head of EAC Regional Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy in Dar-es-Salaam, and Mr. Bernd Multhaup, GIZ Programme Manager at the EAC Secretariat.
The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, the European Union (EU), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) jointly organized a high-level conference entitled “Regional Integration in the EAC: Making the Most of the Common Market on the Road to a Monetary Union” in Arusha, Tanzania on October 31–November 1, 2016. Discussions focused on progress in establishing Customs Union and Common Market so far, steps for strengthening them, and the prerequisites for an effective transition to East African Monetary Union (EAMU).
The conference brought together Finance Ministers and Ministers in charge of regional cooperation, Central Bank Governors, other senior policymakers, regional capital markets regulators, academics, civil society, and private sector leaders from across EAC member countries, as well as senior representatives from international financial institutions and other monetary unions. Policymakers of the EAC region reaffirmed their commitment to build a strong economic and monetary union.
Participants assessed the current state and pace of economic integration since the inception of the Customs Union in 2005 and the Common Market in 2010. Participants noted considerable progress towards a single entry visa, processing times at ports, and removal of internal tariffs. As indicated in the second EAC Common Market Scorecard 2016 which evaluates Partner States’ compliance to the free movement of capital, services, and goods, private sector representatives in particular underlined the need for further progress in the areas of non-tariff barriers, rules of origin, tax administration and harmonization, automation of trade process, and labor mobility to facilitate trade of goods and services further. Given experiences in other regions, sequential harmonization could be pursued in implementing the single customs territory and tax harmonization. Accountability and ownership are critical to a successful integration process.
Considerable progress has been made in financial sector integration, including integration of the payment systems and financial markets. In this regard, participants noted still high compliance cost in light of different regulations in member countries. On the Fintech front, however, the EAC region is ahead of many other countries in the world. The importance of proper sequencing and pace of financial integration was stressed in light of risks involved.
Under the theme “The Road toward a Monetary Union,” the status of macroeconomic convergence in the EAC was discussed. Participants acknowledged that fiscal deficits need to be brought down to meet the convergence criterion and to ensure the stability of the future monetary union. Convergence goes beyond headline fiscal deficits and public debt, and fiscal risks need to be monitored closely. Moreover, further progress is needed in data harmonization and monetary policy frameworks and operations, and there is a need to establish the new institutions that will play a key role for the implementation and resilience of the union.
The program, speeches and presentations to the conference are available at:
Following the conference, a forum on “Improvements in East African Statistics Through Capacity Development,” highlighted recent improvements in economic and financial statistics in EAC countries through capacity development initiatives supported by the EAC Secretariat and the IMF.
The 5th EAC University students’ debate, themed “Youth Participation in Electoral Democracy,” is taking place from 31st October to 3rd November 2016 at the Kigali Independent University in Kigali, Rwanda. The debate has brought together various participants including University students as well as lecturers, academia, policy makers, media, youth leaders and high school students from Uganda, Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania, and Rwanda, the host country.
The EAC University Students’ Debate Model is an interactive and representational style of debating aimed at educating, discussing and making resolutions among the Youth in East African to nurture a bond of “Eastafricaness” with a distinct East African identity.
The objective of the EAC University students’ Debate Model is to exchange information, share ideas and develop a common ground among the students and youth in the bloc.
The Motion for this year’s debate is “This House believes that effective Youth participation in Electoral Processes is a prerequisite for attaining sustainable Electoral Democracy in the East African Community.”
Officiating at the official opening of the Debate, Rwanda’s Minister of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs, Hon. Francois Kanimba, challenged the students and youth in general to seize the opportunities being presented by the EAC integration process to advance their careers and sources of livelihood.
The Minister said the youth represent a larger demographic portion and constitute more than 63% of the EAC population hence they have a huge role to play in shaping the EAC they want.
“The energy, ideas and enthusiasm that you will demonstrate here are part of the solution to achieving a realistic EAC and Africa that we want. Our region needs a new generation of problem-solvers, who take positive actions and see farther, and work smarter to achieve the EAC vision,” said Hon. Kanimba.
Hon. Kanimba disclosed that under the Northern Corridor Integration project, Partner States had agreed to harmonize tuition and non-tuition fees with the aim of facilitating the free movement of people including students in within the Community. “Therefore, utilize these facilities well so that the dream of a prosperous East African Community can become a reality.”
Welcoming the Debaters, students and guests to the Kigali Independent University, the University’s Vice Chancellor; Dr. Sekibibi Ezechiel, commended the EAC Secretariat for choosing the institution to host the debate and urged the youth and students to passionately get involved in the regional integration process.
At the same function, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge, said the theme of this year’s debate was timely and that the vitality of Youth participation in electoral democracy cannot be left to the whims of anyone but was a fundamental constitutional right that is encapsulated in most EAC Partner States’ Constitutions and the EAC Treaty.
“Participation is thus a component of democracy for young leaders in East Africa, which enables them to passionately cherish and jealously guard the principles of democratic governance in facilitating development of our region,” said Mr. Njoroge.
The Deputy Secretary General advised the youth to refrain from violence, corruption, and to always abhor divisive politics, which could endanger the unity and oneness of the people both within and among the Partner States, to ensure that the regional motto of “One People, One Destiny” is sustained.
He reiterated the need for Youth leaders to understand their societal values required to provide effective leadership in the EAC, which include upholding unity in diversity, being accountable and ensuring transparency, and Team work, as key to success.
“The East African Community is your region and your future. You need to collectively guard it well with an ultimate goal of attaining a Political Federation,” the Deputy Secretary General affirmed.
Mr. Njoroge informed the audience that since the inception of the Youth Debate in 2012, the Secretariat has been able to register tremendous achievements in EAC youth activities, which include the appointment of EAC Youth Ambassadors and their Deputies each year in every Partner State, adding that the Youth Ambassadors have competently taken up the mantle of continuing the dialogue; and reaching out to fellow young people throughout the region on the EAC integration.
East African Community Partner States have been challenged to benchmark themselves with the world’s most advanced economies if they are to grow their economies.
Hon. Amanya Mushega, a former EAC Secretary General, said the EAC needs to revisit and do away with the standard way of judging itself by Sub-Saharan African standards.
“India, Singapore and South Africa, just to mention but a few refused to treat themselves that way. They aimed high, looked at the way the USA, Japan, Germany, UK and the USSR developed their human resources, copied them with the view to competing with them and not fellow third world countries and the results are out,” said Hon. Mushega.
“Our problem of remaining poor and beggars is not lack of money or natural resources, it is our mindset. We have put the bar too low. We are not going to be competing with Gambia or Haiti but with Korea, Japan and China, first for our own EAC market and secondly, for the world market,” he added.
Hon. Mushega called for heavy investment by the Partner States in human resource development, and urged the Community to compare the number and quality of local skills with those countries that have prospered rather than the comfort zone of Sub-Saharan Africa.
“For EAC to develop, exploit its resources, build industries, not cutting and wrapping imported products for it to build and maintain roads, railways, airports and dams, compete in local and world markets, it must put maximum efforts on the quality of education and skills of its population. Don’t say but we are ok. We are not. The EAC is not yet our market,” said the retired diplomat.
Hon. Mushega was giving a keynote address titled The Hidden Challenges to Integration and the Way Forward during the opening of the two-day EAC-EU-IMF Conference on Regional Integration in Arusha, Tanzania. The theme of the conference is “Regional Integration in the EAC: Making the most of the Common Market on the Road to a Monetary Union.”
Speaking at the forum, Mr. Abebe Aemro Selassie, disclosed that at six (6) per cent, real GDP growth in the EAC in 2016 was expected to be well above the average for Sub-Saharan Africa, adding that prospects for 2017/18 also remain strong.
Mr. Selassie said that the challenge for the EAC as for other fast growing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa was how to sustain this growth over the medium term, how to ensure that scaled-up public investment and borrowing translates into durable growth and not unserviceable debt, and how to make this growth more inclusive.
“Faster economic growth within the EAC is therefore a potential “game changer” as it holds the promise of improved productivity, competitiveness and welfare gains,” said the IMF official.
He noted that while significant progress had been made since the inception of the EAC Customs Union and the Common Market including the establishment of a Single Customs Territory with a Common External Tariff and effective elimination of internal tariffs for goods meeting Rules of Origin – there is still work to be done.
“Customs valuation procedures have also varied across the region, despite the approval of the EAC Customs Valuation Manual,” he observed.
In her remarks, Hon. Jesca Eriyo, the EAC Deputy Secretary General (Finance and Administration), said that the Community had made significant progress in the areas of trade, financial and macroeconomic integration as well as building institutions necessary to support the integration process.
“The integration process is benefiting the East African people through increased trade, efficiency and productivity and enhanced financial integration. The recently established Single Customs Territory continues to deliver significant benefits to East Africans, including reduced transit times from port to destinations and fewer documentary requirements,” said Hon. Eriyo.
Hon. Eriyo revealed that financial integration in the EAC was deepening and that free movement of labour was becoming a reality, partly aided by the Mutual Recognition Agreements among professional associations including those for architects, accountants and veterinary officers.
She said that to ensure macroeconomic convergence ahead of the monetary union, convergence criteria pertaining to inflation, foreign exchange reserves, fiscal deficits and public debt would have to be achieved and observed.
“The purpose of the convergence process is to ensure that countries enter the monetary union without major disequilibria that could threaten its stability. However, convergence is not an automatic process. The experience of the Euro area shows that a set of mechanisms involving institutions and the use of incentives and corrective procedures to deal with deviations from pre-determined paths, have been needed to achieve convergence and keep union members aligned,” said the DSG.
The conference is being attended by international economists, leading policy makers from the region, ministers of finance, central bank governors, and senior treasury/finance officials, regional capital markets regulators, academics, senior staff from international financial institutions, senior representatives from other monetary unions and civil society organizations, and private sector leaders from the region.
