Kampala (September 14, 2019): The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the Regional Facilitation Unit for the World Bank supported Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project, has announced the recipients of the ACE Scholarship Program for 2019. A Call for Applications for Masters Fellowships targeting female students in the nine project participating countries of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Mozambique and Malawi was announced in March 2019. The aim of the competitive scholarship is to enhance the participation of young African female scientists at postgraduate level, encourage regional student mobility and identify and cultivate future leaders in the region. A total of 28 fellowships were awarded for the 2018/2019 academic year.
An Independent Selection Panel nominated from members of the Regional Steering Committee (RSC) of the ACE II Project selected and recommended 32 applicants out of nearly 500 applicants for the 2019/2020 academic year. The selected candidates were found to have met all required conditions for the scholarship as specified in the Call.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 12th September, 2019: The EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko paid a courtesy call on Hon. Minister Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday 10th September, 2019. This was the first visit by the Secretary General to the Tanzanian Ministry since the appointment of Prof. Kabudi as Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
The Secretary General briefed the Minister on a number of issues in the Community including an update on the progress of implementation of the key pillars of integration, operational challenges at the EAC, an update on the financial situation, reforms at EAC, the upcoming celebrations of 20th Anniversary among others. The Secretary General assured the Minister that EAC is still steady despite some operational challenges.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 09th September, 2019:The Extra Ordinary Sectoral Council meeting on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) is currently underway at the East African Community Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
This meeting which is taking place from Monday, 9th September, 2019 to Friday, 13th September, 2019 comprises three sessions, namely: the Session of Senior Officials which runs up to 11th September, 2019; the Session of the Coordination Committee to be held on Thursday, 12th September, 2019, and; the Ministerial Session which will take place on Friday, 13th September, 2019.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th September, 2019: Preparations are in high gear for a High Level Conference on Trade Integration in the East African Community scheduled to take place from 25th to 27th September, 2019 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.
The high level conference themed, “Enhancing Trade Integration in East African Community” has been organized by the EAC in collaboration with East African Business Council, TradeMark East Africa, the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) and the host country Kenya.
…EALA Speaker in attendance, calls for leverage of ICTs in Parliamentary democracy
East African Legislative Assembly, Zanzibar, Tanzania: 2 September, 2019:The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association African Regional Conference commenced in Zanzibar, Tanzania, with continental legislators rooting for increased usage of the internet and electronic systems to leverage parliamentary democracy.
H.E Dr Ali Mohammed Shein, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, opened the Conference as the august body celebrated its golden Jubilee in the coastline of Zanzibar.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 19th August, 2019: The East African Community has expanded the region’s capacity to deliver high quality health services through the establishment of Regional Centres of Excellence (RCoEs) in the Partner States.
EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of the Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, further disclosed that the the RCoEs would also provide quality education, vocational training and research to students and practitioners in the health sector.
Hon. Bazivamo named the RCoEs as those for Kidney Diseases (Kenya); Heart Diseases (Tanzania); Cancer (Uganda); e-Health, Biomedical Engineering and Health Rehabilitation Sciences (Rwanda), and; Vaccines, Immunization and Health Supply Chain Management (Rwanda).
“We cannot develop skills adequately in these areas at the national level, but we can do so through these Centres of Excellence in the Partner States,” said Hon. Bazivamo.
Hon. Bazivamo said it was anticipated that the Centres of Excellence in health would reduce the huge numbers of East Africans travelling to India to seek specialized medical care.
Hon. Bazivamo was speaking at the EAC Headquarters when he received three Senators from the Kenya Senate Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration. The Senate Committee is undertaking a fact-finding mission to engage EAC Organs and Institutions from 18th to 30th August, 2019. On the team were Senators Judy Pareno, Mercy Chebeni and Christine Zawadi.
The Deputy Secretary General briefed the Senators on the progress made by the Community in the four stages of integration, namely: the Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union and Political Federation.
He cited some of the achievements made by the EAC over the past two decades as: increased intra-regional trade, reduction of non-tariff barriers, infrastructure development, harmonisation of education systems and curricula, development of the EAC international e-passport, signing of Mutual Recognition Agreements, payment of tuition fees at local rates by EAC nationals studying in other Partner States, and increased cross-border investment.
He singled out the tendency by Partner States to prioritise national programmes as opposed to those agreed upon at the regional level saying this posed challenges to the implementation of EAC projects and programmes.
In her remarks, Senator Judy Pareno said that the Committee was on a fact-finding mission to enable them understand the EAC and the role of the Community’s Organs and Institutions in the implementation of the EAC Treaty, in addition to their achievements and challenges.
The Senators noted that there was lack of awareness among East Africans on the EAC integration process, adding that Partner States governments and the EAC should do more to sensitise people at the grassroots on the Community and its role in their lives.
- ENDS -
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 Sudna, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
TORONTO – Syngrafii Inc. – August 8th, 2019 – Syngrafii Inc. and TradeMark East Africa have collaborated and partnered with the EAC Secretariat to transform the method of executing agreements amongst and between the Partner States through the deployment of a Digital Channel for the remote signing of official documents. TMEA has facilitated the deployment of the Syngrafii platform within the EAC Secretariat where we have installed the first Syngrafii LongPen™ in conjunction with sPaper™ to deliver improved operational performance, greater geographic market reach and faster document execution for the EAC Member States. This will service both diverse governmental initiatives and their respective business units along with their partners and the constituents they serve.
Highlights:
The EAC Secretariat has adopted ICTs and continues to develop IT infrastructure in order to facilitate and support daily activities and operations. This has resulted in an increased efficiency. The EAC Secretariat established a Video Conferencing system between its headquarters and Partner States to facilitate its core business needs.
It wished to enhance the VC system by introducing an online signature system. There is a requirement to implement a system that allows a report to be signed online immediately after a meeting.
The solution integrates the LongPen™ and sPaper™ for the signing of critical and highly confidential documents which require an authenticated “Wet-Ink” signature in order to meet the diverse, geographically constrained governmental compliance and governance requirements.
Syngrafii’s LongPen™ Printer and sPaper™ enables The EAC signing Ministers to execute complex, highly sensitive legal agreements and contracts in a more timely manner while enhancing the level of compliance and improving the global carbon footprint.
Syngrafii’s seamless integration into The EAC’s operations has resulted in an immediate improvement to our document execution processes. The EAC will be able to reduce Minister and staff travel times while meeting or exceeding tight timelines of completion. The EAC anticipates significantly further benefits as they expand the use of the platform.
The Syngrafii system does not require any pre-processing of documents allowing The EAC to use ALL existing approved documents and forms, reducing process change risk; as well as saving time and money on the integration into their operational systems. These savings in time and document management efficiency deliver an additional operational effectiveness.
Supporting Quotes:
The EAC
“We are very excited to be working with Syngrafii on this ground-breaking initiative. We believe that this technology is revolutionary, and it is already changing the way our legally binding documents and agreements are presented and ‘signed’ by our Partner States and other institutions and supporting agencies.
The reaction from our constituents to remote paperless signings thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. They are impressed not only by the fact that the paperwork is being processed faster, they also comment on how convenient & environmentally friendly the process is.
Syngrafii has enabled The EAC to securely sign documents across geographically dispersed locations and operations while exceeding all compliance and non-repudiation requirements of the transaction. Combined with Syngrafii’s convenience and ease of use we can securely, quickly and confidently execute agreements and contracts with our Partners States.”
Further TMEA Testimonial:
“Indeed it has been a pleasure working with Syngrafii. The gains from the operationalization of the online signature system, are perceptible and it has enhanced the speed of decision making at the EAC Secretariat. There are no longer major delays in key Organizational meetings (although of course some meetings remain physical in nature, especially those that require negotiations and longer deliberations).
TMEA is proud to have facilitated that process.”
About TradeMark East Africa
TradeMark (Trade and Markets) East Africa is a multi-purpose donor funded, not-for-profit Aid for Trade organisation, established to support the growth of trade – both regional and international – In East Africa. TMEA operates on a not-for-profit basis and is funded by the development agencies of the following countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, UK, and USA. TMEA works closely with East African Community (EAC) institutions, national governments, the private sector and civil society organisations.
Established in 2010, TMEA supports a portfolio of programmes across the East Africa Community partner countries, working closely with our partners - the EAC Partner States, EAC Secretariat, the private sector and civil society - TMEA has made a significant contribution to this growth by delivering large scale impact in its highly successful first strategic phase which was completed in December 2017.
TMEA Is now embarking on Its second strategic phase for the six years from 2017/18 to 2022/23 known as “Strategy 2” which seeks to increase trade by unlocking economic potential anchored on 2 key outcomes:
Reduced barriers to trade; and
Improving business competitiveness.
We believe there are several pathways from increased trade to sustainable, inclusive prosperity through, for example, job creation, poverty reduction, economic growth, increased government revenue, enhanced economic welfare, and greater economic resilience.
TMEA has its headquarters in Nairobi with offices in Arusha, Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Juba, Kampala and Kigali.
Syngrafii is the only eSignature company in the world that brings the security & the case law associated with the execution of paper documents into the fast lane of the digital age.
Syngrafii provides the proprietary option of executing original biometric ink signatures onto hard copy or electronic documents when and where you want.
The only Signature solution that protects users’ Signature technology investment & business-forward flexibility. Syngrafii’s Signature platform allows users to implement the right Signature solution they need, whether click-to-sign, Type to sign, or the Gold Standard Wet Ink on Digital & Paper documents. Syngrafii… One Vendor… One Platform
More Information: Matthew M. Gibson CEO and Co-Founder Syngrafii Inc. E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Eng. Daniel Murenzi Principal Information Technology Officer East African Community
Nelson Karanja Communications Director TradeMark East Africa
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 15th August 2019: East African Community Partner States are working to harmonise education systems and curricula in the region.
EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Eng. Steven Mlote, said that the harmonisation would ensure quality and standardised education which would in turn guarantee skilled and tech-savvy manpower for the labour market in the region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 13th August, 2019: A group of 15 cyclists who are participating in the 3rd East African Community Bicycle Tour (Tour d’EAC) were today flagged off at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Flagging off the group of volunteer cyclists, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Eng. Steven Mlote, hailed the cyclists for their efforts in complementing initiatives by the Secretariat to create awareness on the integration process.
Eng. Mlote noted that it was encouraging that the annual initiative which started with cyclists from Uganda only in 2016, had now expanded to include cyclists from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.
He urged the cyclists to mobilize more youth in the region to appreciate the importance of regional integration as a way of empowering East Africans and making East Africa united and stronger.
The Deputy Secretary General said that the movement of the cyclists across the region had been made possible by the free of movement of persons as enshrined in the EAC Common Market Protocol.
Eng. Mlote assured East Africans that the Community was growing stronger with each passing day, adding that it had recorded many achievements which were gradually beginning to trickle down to ordinary East Africans.
In her remarks, Ms Joyce Kevin Abalo from the GIZ Office at the EAC Headquarters, assured the cyclists that the German Technical Cooperation would continue working closely with the EAC Secretariat to ensure that the event was a success.
Ms Abalo urged the cyclists to endeavour to complete the journey noting that success can only be attained through discipline and perseverance.
Speaking at the event, the Coordinator of the Tour D’EAC, Mr John Balongo, requested the EAC Secretariat to include the tour in its Calendar of Activities in the future.
“We also want to request that in future events, all ministries support individual cyclists from their respective countries,” said Balongo, adding that the group’s aim was to educate EAC citizens on the importance of a united East Africa.
“We seek to stir up interest of groups and individuals in the understanding of the land, and people of East Africa. Subsequently, this results into growing personal and group relationships across the region multiplying out into travel, trade and many other beneficial linkages,” he said.
Also present at the event was the EAC Director General, Customs and Trade, Mr Kenneth Bagamuhunda.
The 3rd Tour d’EAC was flagged off on 1st August, 2019 at the Independence Monument in Kampala by Uganda’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC Affairs, Hon. Dr Ali Kirunda Kivejinja, and the Tanzanian High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E. Aziz Ponary Mlima. The cyclists arrived in Nairobi on the evening of Wednesday, 7th August, 2019 where they were hosted by the Ministry of EAC and Regional Development in Kenya one day later.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The Tour d’EAC 2019 is expected to cover 4,300 km around East Africa over a period of 50 days. The aim of the Annual East African Bicycle Tour is to promote the spirit of East Africanness among the people of East Africa, the tourism and business potential of the Community while enhancing awareness about the social and cultural peculiarities of people and places in the EAC.
The ultimate goal of the initiative is to bring the citizens of East Africa to own the integration process as enshrined in the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC. The tour is also one of the activities to mark the Community’s 20th Anniversary.
- 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 six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudna, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 12th August, 2019: The 12th Edition of the East African Community Military Games and Cultural Event is currently underway at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi, Kenya.
The event which runs from 11th to 26th August, 2019 has drawn 500 sportsmen and sportswomen from the Defence Forces in all the six EAC Partner States, namely: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
