East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 21st October, 2019: The EAC Secretariat participated at the 3-day Swahili International Tourism Expo (SITE) which took place at the Milimani City Conference Hall in Dar-es-Salaam ; Tanzania, from 18th to 20th October, 2019.
Officiating the opening of the exhibition, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism; Hon. Dr. Hamisi Kigwangalla began by welcoming all exhibitors, visitors and international stakeholders to the event. He commended the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism for their successful efforts in organizing the 5th SITE, 2019 in collaboration with the Tanzanian Tourism Board and other key stakeholders within the tourism sector including the EAC Tourism Department.
EAST AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY: Belgrade, Serbia, October 15th, 2019: The 141St Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly commenced in the Serbia capital of Belgrade, on October 13th, 2019, with renewed focus towards strengthening mechanisms geared at enhancing international co-operation and collaboration, in the wake of increased violations towards international treaties and covenants. Serbian President,Mr. Aleksandar Vučić, opened the Global summit of legislators.
EALA Speaker, Rt Hon Ngoga Karoli Martin, late yesterday addressed over 1750 delegates of the Assembly, calling on Parliaments to strive to pass relevant national and regional laws that anchor to the international laws and treaties in order to find lasting solutions to emerging threats from violations to global treaties.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th October, 2019: The Charge d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, H.E. Dr. Inmi K. Patterson, today paid a courtesy call on the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The Secretary General briefed Dr. Patterson on the status of the integration process within the Community including the various projects that were being implemented in the region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th October, 2019: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, received credentials from Mr. Muhammed Abdiker, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Director for the East and Horn of Africa.
The delegation from the IOM regional officer comprised Mr. Abdiker, Dr. Sufi Qasim, Director IOM, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania office, and Mr Nelson Goncalves, the Senior IBM Training Specialist at the African Capacity Building Center (ACBC) on migration management.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 7th October, 2019: The 30th Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs and Planning(SCMEACP) is currently underway at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The six –day meeting kicked off with the Session of Senior Officials, which will run up to 8thOctober, 2019.This will be followed by the Coordination Committee, which consists of the Permanent/Principal Secretaries on 9th October, 2019, dedicated session of the Ministers to receive the report of the EAC Audit Commission for the FY 2017/18 and the annual report of the EAC Audit and Risk Committee for the FY 2017/18 on 10th October, 2019; Ministerial session of Ministers of the 29th and 30th meetings of the SCMEACP on 11th October, 2019; and the dedicated session of Ministers to consider the report of the EAC AD HOC Service Commission on Workload analysis and job evaluation on 12th October, 2019.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 7th October, 2019: The East African Community Youth Ambassadors will undertake a multi-stakeholder outreach programme targeting the border districts/communities at Horohoro (Tanzania) and Lunga Lunga (Kenya).The sensitization programme will take place from 9th - 10th October 2019.
The major goal of the programme is to sensitize the youth within the border communities, local leaders and actors as well as border agencies on issues hindering regular cross border movements and threats linked to irregular movements such as smuggling or trafficking.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 4th October, 2019: The EAC convened a 5-day content harmonisation workshop for the three regional economic blocs implementing the 50 Million African Women Speak (50MAWS) project, EAC, EACOWAS and COMESA. The workshop, hosted in Moshi, Tanzania, was convened in preparation for the launch of the 50MAWS Networking Platform planned for November 2019.
Officiating the workshop, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo commended the collaboration between EAC, ECOWAS, and COMESA, and the commitment bby each party in pushing the agenda of women economic empowerment in the continent.
East African Legislative Assembly; October 4th, 2019: Arusha, Tanzania: The East African Legislative Assembly once again wants the East African Community Council of Ministers to address the dire financial crisis, the regional bloc is in. Critical to the matter is the need for all Partner States to duly remit their financial obligations in a timely manner and fashion. Particularly, the Assembly has recommended that the Council of Ministers should consider invoking Article 143 or 146 to impose sanctions against Partner States that default on payment. Particularly, one Partner State, the Republic of South Sudan is been urged to comply by end of October 2019.
As the matter came under scrutiny, the House commended the Republic of Uganda for honouring its contribution for the Financial Year 2019/20 to the tune on 72% as at October 2nd 2019. EALA urged other Partner States to emulate the Republic of Uganda by complying with regulation 23(5) of EAC Financial Rules and Regulations. Consequently, EALA also wants the Alternative Financing Mechanism finalized and effected and a reconsideration and removal of the zero budget increase ceilings.
East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, October 3rd 2019: Despite the significant contribution of the tourism sector in region’s economic growth, provision of employment and poverty reduction, certain overriding challenges that include sector underfunding, insecurity, lack of harmonized policies and laws, among others, need to be speedily addressed, the East African Legislative Assembly has said. A report of the Assembly on the Oversight activity on the Performance of the Tourism Sector in the region, wants the EAC to fastrack the conclusion of the EAC Protocol on Tourism and Wildlife Management, as well as in strengthening a pool of EAC Classification Assessors to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in classification of tourism establishment.
The Assembly is also reiterating creation of a well-coordinated and digitized information exchange hub for the advancement of joint tourist visa mechanism in a bid to attract tourists in the region. Hon Mary Mugyenyi who presented the report to the House further said it was necessary for the Partner States to harmonise their national laws on tourism and related sectors. The EAC Council of Ministers is further urged to follow up with the Republics of Burundi and South Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania to join the EAC Single Tourist Visa.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 3rd October, 2019: The intra-Global Climate Alliance Plus (GCCA+) Programme on supporting Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Actions in the East African Community has been launched at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The European Union (EU) is providing funding to the tune of 1.6 million Euros for the four-year project which commenced in July 2019 and runs up to June 2023.
