East African Court of Justice, 10th June, 2021: The First Instance Division has resumed its June-July session in which it shall handle 19 matters only.
The Court started its session with the hearing of Application No. 9 of 2019) arising from Reference No. 16 of 2019) Bob Rugurika and 17 Others vs. The Attorney General of Burundi.
The applicants are seeking seeking interim orders restraining and prohibiting execution of the decision delivered by the Supreme Court of Burundi to seize the moveable and immovable properties of 32 individuals associated with another case in Burundi.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th June, 2021: A five-day meeting of the Sectoral Council Ministers on Gender, Youth, Children, Social Protection and Community Development is currently underway at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha.
The 5th Sectoral Council on Gender, Youth, Children, Social Protection and Community opened on Monday, 7th June, 2021 with the Session of Senior Officials that ended today, Wednesday, 9th June, 2021. The Coordination Committee or Session of Permanent/Principal/Under Secretaries is slated for Thursday, 10th June, 2021 followed by the Session of Ministers/Cabinet Secretaries on Friday, 11th June, 2021.
East African Court of Justice, 9th June, 2021: The President of the East African Court of Justice, Justice Nestor Kayobera, today received the Chairperson of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) Mr. George Njooka and his team who paid a courtesy call to learn and identify potential areas where the court and the society could work together.
Justice Kayobera welcomed Mr. Njooka by saying that TLS was a key stakeholder of the Court and assured him that during his five-year tenure at EACJ would be guided by teamwork spirit and good faith among all the stakeholders of the Court, which belongs to people.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th June, 2021: A five-day meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers on EAC Affairs and Planning (SCMEACP) is currently underway at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The 31st SCMEACP opened on Monday, 7th June, 2021 with the Session of Senior Officials that ended today, Wednesday, 9th June, 2021. The Coordination Committee or Session of Permanent/Principal/Under Secretaries is slated for Thursday, 10th June, 2021 followed by the Session of Ministers/Cabinet Secretaries on Friday, 11th June, 2021.
Among the items on the agenda of the meeting are the: Consideration of the Progress Report on the Status of Implementation of the EAC Common Market; Consideration of the Report on the Revised Draft Council Directive on Coordination of Social Security Benefits in the EAC; Consideration of the Status of Partner States’ Contributions to the EAC Budget, and; Consideration of the Draft 2nd EAC Communication Policy And The Draft 2nd EAC Communication Strategy.
Other items on the agenda of the SCMEACP are the: Consideration of a Progress Report of the Technical Working Group on Information Resource Centres; Consideration of the Application of the Democratic Republic Of Congo to join the EAC; Consideration of the Progress Report on the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area and; Consideration of the Progress Report on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Negotiations.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka Senior Public Relations Officer Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 768 552087 Email: sowaka [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th June, 2021: The EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki, today held discussions with US Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania and the EAC, Amb. Donald J. Wright in Dar es Salaam.
The two officials discussed potential areas of collaboration between the EAC and USA, namely trade and investment, and democracy and good governance.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th June, 2021: The second phase of the EAC Regional Network of Public Health Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases Project will be launched on 11th June, 2021 at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Funded by the Federal Government of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW), the three year second phase of the project is set to further strengthen the capacities of the EAC Partner States to respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases, including bacterial diseases and cross-border epidemics.
…Pledges to push for ratification of Tripartite Free Trade Area Agreement
East African Community, Dar es Salaam, 9th June, 2021: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki has taken over from SADC Executive Secretary, Dr. Stergomena Tax, the Chairmanship of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Task Force (TTF) for the next one year.
Making his remarks during the hand-over ceremony held virtually, Dr. Mathuki commended Dr. Tax for her exemplary leadership over the past year. He specifically noted the commitment and dedication exhibited by Dr. Tax especially when the implementation of agreed activities was impeded by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr. Mathuki pledged to ensure continued collaboration amongst the RECs for their mutual benefit, particularly in enabling the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) enter into force by championing Member/Partner States who have not ratified the TFTA Agreement to do so in the near future.
“The signing and ratification of the TFTA Agreement is critical as it will pave way for the successful implementation of our programme,” noted Dr. Mathuki.
The Secretary General underscored the importance of the TFTA in improving the economic and social welfare of the citizens of the COMESA-EAC-SADC region through the promotion of regional economic growth by creating an enabling environment for regional trade.
So far, 22 COMESA-EAC-SADC Member/Partner States have signed the TFTA Agreement while 10 Member/Partner States have ratified the Agreement. Article 39(3) of the TFTA Agreement provides for the agreement to enter into force upon ratification by 14 Member/Partner States.
In the EAC, the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have ratified the TFTA Agreement. The United Republic of Tanzania is at advanced stages of the ratification process, while the Republic of South Sudan is yet to sign the Agreement.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka Senior Public Relations Officer Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 768 552087 Email: sowaka [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
…As Secretariat seeks strengthen cooperation with EU
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th June, 2021: The Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), Hon. Dr. Peter Mathuki has appealed to the European Union (EU) member states to lift sanctions against the Republic of Burundi, noting that the country had opened a new page and was ready to move forward.
Dr. Mathuki said that the EU sanctions on the East African were hurting not only Burundians but the people of the entire region.
“I appeal to the EU that we work together and open a new page for the betterment of the people of the Republic of Burundi,” said Dr. Mathuki.
East African Court of Justice, 6th June, 2021; The President of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), Justice Nestor Kayobera, has appealed to fellow judges and staff of the Court to work as team and with respect for one another to enable the court deliver on its mandate.
Justice Kayobera commended his counterparts in the other EAC Organs, namely EAC Secretary General Hon. Dr. Peter Mathuki and East African Legislative Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Ngoga the Speaker the East African Legislative Assembly where the President takes part as the Head of the Court.
“We have decided to work together for example the recent visits to the Heads of State starting with President Paul Kagame of the Republic of Rwanda, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda, President Salva Kiir of the Republic of South Sudan and to President Evariste Ndayishimiye of the Republic of Burundi) His Lordship said. He also added that soon they will visit the President of Tanzania, Kenya and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since it has applied to join the EAC.
Justice Kayobera was speaking during a four-day mid-term review workshop for the EACJ Strategic Plan 2018-2023 including the achievements, challenges and new developments in the implementing the Strategic Plan.
On his part, Dr. Kennedy Ogollah, a don at the Nairobi University School of Business who is facilitated the workshop commended the Court for the work it has done so far in implementing the Strategic Plan since it was unveiled in 2018. He encouraged everyone to always focus on achieving the vision and mission of the Court.
Some of the key achievements made by EACJ in the implementation of the plan so far include: improved EACJ participation in the amendment of the Treaty to improved the design of the Court; improved understanding on the role and place of the Court in the EAC integration agenda among the Policy makers through their engagements with the heads of the Court on the issue of appreciation of the Court; improved visibility of the Court by an increase in the cases filed during Covid-19 pandemic; raised resources from the Partnership and other Development Partners to support and fund the activities of the Court and Improved digital performance of the Court through conducting online Courts session, e-filing and transcribing processes especially during covid-19 outbreak the court has continued with its operations efficiently and effectively.
Key challenges undermining the implementation of the strategic plan were identifies as: the ad-hoc nature of service for the Judges which contributes to delay in hearing and determination of cases; lack of permanent services of the Judges; delays in determining permanent seat of the Court and the Sub-registries to end the transitional status of the Court; inadequate financial resources, budgetary allocation and delay in disbursement of funds by Partner States which affect the operations of the Court; low visibility on the Court’s role, mandate, jurisdiction & procedures still hinders access to court by the users; delay in amending the Treaty to increase Judges especially in the Appellate Division, and; lack of Administrative and Financial autonomy of the court.
The workshop further came up with recommendations towards mitigation of the challenges such as continuous engagements with relevant Policy organs and Partner States to support the Court and fast track the Treaty amendment process to increase the Judges, determine permanent service of the judges, finalize review and approval of the Administrative & Financial Autonomy of the court and increase budget allocation on the Court’s activities as well establishing alternative funding mechanism through resource mobilization.
In attendance were the Judges and Staff of the Court and the Planning Expert, Mr. Maurice Danje, from EAC Secretariat.
For more information please contact:
Yufnalis Okubo Registrar East African Court of Justice Arusha, Tanzania Tel: 255-27-2162149 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the East African Court of Justice
The East African Court of Justice (EACJ or ‘the Court’), is one of the organs of the East African Community established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. Established in November 2001, the Court’s major responsibility is to ensure the adherence to law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the EAC Treaty.
Arusha is the temporary seat of the Court until the Summit determines its permanent seat. The Court’s sub-registries are located in the respective National Courts in the Partner States.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 6th June, 2021: The 16th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Education, Science and Technology, Culture and Sports (SCESTCS) came to a close in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 4th June, 2021.
The Ministerial Session of the SCESTCS was chaired by Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Education, Prof. George Magoha,
On Education and Training, the Sectoral Council directed that the EAC TVET Harmonization Strategy be finalized by end of June 2021; criteria for administration of EAC Essay Writing Competition be reviewed and that a Regional Forum on Education be held by November 2021 in Rwanda to, among other things, look into the impacts of the COVID 19-Pandemic on the education systems of EAC Partner States.
