Call for Applications: Incubator for Integration and Development in East Africa (IIDEA)

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The East African Community Secretariat (EACS) in collaboration with the Regional Dialogue Committee (RDC), in partnership with GIZ proposes the Incubator for Integration and Development in East Africa (IIDEA) - an initiative which incubates small-scale regional integration projects, proposed and implemented by civil society, private sector and other interest groups in East Africa. It is cross border in nature, with projects expected to involve at least two EAC Partner States. Technical and financial support is provided for professional planning, implementation and marketing of IIDEA projects.

IIDEA projects puts into action and showcases the success stories and impacts of the EAC Common Market Protocol. This could include provisions such as the free movement of citizens, labor, goods, capital and the rights of establishment and residence of citizens in East Africa.

To this end, EAC Secretariat and the RDC invites organisation(s) with innovative projects and capacity to submit their applications for support in the following specified areas; Health, Education, Agriculture, Trade, ICT, Art and Culture and Security.

Please refer to the Project Description attached for a complete statement of goals and expected results.

GIZ-EAC anticipates issuing financing support over six months to one year period, a maximum of $10,000-50,000 to the successful private sector, civil society, and other interest organisation with innovative proposals. Applications must be received at the EAC–GIZ Offices in Arusha not later than 31st July 2016. Applications and the relevant supporting documents thereof shall be submitted in pdf (preferred) or other electronic format to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a copy to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

Any questions concerning this request for application (RFA) should be submitted in writing not later than 15 July 2016 prior to the closing date shown above to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a copy to eac-germancooperation[at]giz.de. Applicants should retain for their records one copy of all enclosures which accompany their application.

Final selection will be made in August 2016. Only successful applicants will be notified.

Applications which, for technical issues or for issues of any other kind, are not received within the deadline will not be accepted. Applications with incomplete or missing information will not be accepted. The IIDEA initiative will not support projects such as training, sensitisation on the EAC Common Market and or scholarship for education on the EAC Common Market and regional integration.

How to Apply?

Interested Eligible Applicants are invited to submit their innovative project proposals in the required standard application and budget forms attached to iidea[at]eachq.org with a copy to eac-germancooperation[at]giz.de by latest 31st July 2016.

*There is no right for funding through EAC-GIZ Programme. All projects are evaluated according to a fixed set of criteria, and the final funding decision is made by EAC-GIZ.

Warehousing

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•  On-site storage;
•  Just-in-time delivery for both manufacture and general trade;
•  Less cash tied up in duties and taxes;
•  Deferred payment  of taxes

USAID Partnership with the East African Community

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The U.S. Government has a long history of partnership with the East African Community (EAC). This brief describes some more recent activities and planned interventions by the USAID/EA support of the East African Community’s goal of regional integration.

Activities are listed under the priority areas identified in the East African Community’s Development Strategy 2011-2016.

Customs Union:

• With USAID support, the EAC reviewed and updated the Customs Management Act (CMA) to ensure harmonization of customs regulations in compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) and World Customs Organization (WCO) standards. With USAID support, the EAC Customs Procedures Manual was drafted to harmonize customs procedures across the five EAC Partner States. Going forward USAID will support EAC Partner States to implement Harmonized Customs Procedures.
   
• EAC Harmonized Customs Valuation Methods were developed, representing a major step toward ensuring compatibility with the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement and WCO recommended best practices. In the near future, USAID will support EAC Partner States to implement EAC Harmonized Customs Valuation.
   
• With USAID support, the EAC developed a Post Clearance Audit (PCA), which is a WCO recommended practice for improved customs clearance services. Going forward, USAID will support EAC Partner States to implement the PCA.
   
• USAID facilitated EAC to harmonize standards for 22 staple foods in March 2013 including maize, wheat, rice, beans, and millet. Common standards will increase access to markets for farmers and traders by enabling them to accurately appraise their products and look regionally for the most competitive price.
   
• USAID is supporting the EAC Secretariat and Partner States in Customs Interconnectivity through the development and implementation of the Revenue Authorities Digital Data Exchange system (RADDEx) 2.0, which enables centralized sharing of customs clearance information. USAID is currently supporting the EAC and Revenue Authorities to roll out RADDEx to select private sector firms, and anticipates the system will be available to all private sector firms by May 2013.
   
• USAID assisted the EAC to review its exemptions regime under the EAC Customs Management Act. USAID supported the EAC and experts from Partner States to review and identify these non-customs laws, which were then reviewed by the Council of Ministers. Going forward, USAID will support the development of harmonized customs IT system regulations.
   
• USAID supported a regional pilot Time-Release Study on the Northern Transit Corridor from Mombasa Port to Kampala via Malaba published in November 2012. In the future, USAID will support the dissemination of study results to stakeholders in the region in 2013.
   
• USAID has supported a number of activities towards development of an EAC Single-Window System (SWS). The EAC plans to establish a Single Customs Territory (SCT) by combining the five EAC Customs Territories.

Common Market:

• USAID supports the EAC in Integrated Border Management (IBM) by supporting the EAC’s roll-out of IBM training and sensitization in EAC countries. USAID initiated Joint Border Committees (JBCs) to improve coordination between government agencies and the private sector at 16 of the region’s key border posts. The EAC Simplified Certificate of Origin (SCO) is an instrument to ease cross-border trade of goods valued up to US $500. Following on analysis supported by USAID, the EAC recently raised the limit provisionally to US$2,000. USAID will continue to support the gazetting of the US$2,000 limit and will support outreach to roll-out the SCO to traders and customs officials at targeted borders
   
• USAID has supported the EAC to develop a web-based trade statistics and market access requirements website, the EAC Trade Helpdesk. USAID supports the EAC Secretariat’s Finance Team and select regional financial institutions to increase financial market integration and promote reforms crucial to sustainable economic growth including transparency, financial inclusion, and economic justice.

Regional Productive Sectors:

• Through the Feed the Future Initiative, USAID seeks to increase access, availability and use of African-grown staple foods in regionally integrated markets. To achieve this, Feed the Future East Africa is making core investments to (a) integrate national and regional markets; (b) expand regional access to improved technology, knowledge and inputs; and (c) increase private sector investment in the region.
   
• USAID is supporting EAC to develop a Regional Food Security and Nutrition Policy and Strategy(FSNP).The first meeting of the FSNP working group was held in November 2012, where a draft of the EAC FSNP was prepared as the basis for future work. USAID will continue to support integration of international best practices and coordination of stakeholder input and peer review. In support of the FSNP, USAID supported the formation of a cross-cutting aflatoxin program with the EAC and Member States in November 2012.
   
• USAID support in clean energy and global climate change seeks to promote sustainable natural resource management and environmental conservation, and mitigate the effects of climate change across the East African region.

EAC Institutions:

USAID has directly supported the Lake Victoria Basin Commission since 2005 on the Trans-boundary Water for Biodiversity in the Mara River Basin Initiative. The Commission strives to establish a trans-boundary agreement to ensure water flows to sustain the biodiversity of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, and encourages implementation of harmonized river basin management practices and policies. In April 2013, the EAC, with USAID support, launched a new program called Planning for Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Research, and Economic Development (PREPARED).

The goal of the program is to strengthen the resiliency and sustainability of East African economies, trans-boundary freshwater ecosystems, and communities. The program focuses on the design and implementation of dynamic, long-term information management and planning mechanisms to help decision-makers within EAC Member States to prepare for and manage climatic threats and uncertainties including food security, livelihoods and environmental quality.

European Union – EAC Regional Cooperation

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The East African Community (EAC) and the European Union (EU) enjoy fruitful relations through which the EU supports the EAC in realizing its objective of widening and deepening cooperation among its Partner States in, among others, political, social, economic and social fields for the mutual benefits of their citizenry.

This long standing relationship has seen the EU support the EAC regional integration agenda through National Indicative Programmes (NIPs) in the five Partner States and through the Regional Indicative Programme (RIP) of the Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) region.

EU support through the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Indicative Programme covers the EAC and three other Regional Economic Organizations (COMESA, IGAD and IOC) and has a budget of 619 million Euros. The two focal areas of the 10th EDF support are Regional Economic Integration and Regional Political Integration and Cooperation.

The EU also supports the EAC Secretariat and other EAC Organs in the implementation of the regional trade agenda, support to the EAC’s programme on development frameworks for good and democratic governance as well as migration, trade facilitation along the Central Corridor, and a power transmission line between Burundi and Rwanda.

10^th EDF Programme Implementation:

The EAC is currently implementing 3 programmes supported under the 10th EDF:

1. Maritime Security Programme (MASE) - Euro 2.3 million: MASE aims to strengthen the capacity of the Easter Southern Africa and Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) region in the implementation of the ESA-IO Regional Strategy and Action Plan against Piracy and for Promoting Maritime Security. Duration: April 2014 to 30th June 2015;
2. Regional Integrated Support Programmes (RISP 3) - Euro 2.7 million: The programme aims at enhancing the capacity of Regional Organizations and stakeholders in the EAC Partner States to create integrated markets. Duration: July 2014 – June 2015; and
3. Inter-Regional Coordinating Committee (IRCC) Support Project PE - Euro 2 1.5 million: The Programme aims at building the technical capacity of the EAC Secretariat and strengthening the capacity to develop, and effectively manage EDF funds.

Duration: August 2014 to 31st January 2016

The EU is also supporting several East Africa Road Network/Road Transport Corridors:

• The Northern Corridor (Mombasa – Malaba – Kampala – Katuna – Kigali – Bujumbura)
• The Central Corridor ( Dar es Salaam – Rusumo – Kigali – Gisenyi including the Lusahunga – Mutukula – Masaka Spur)
• The Sirari Corridor ( Biharamulo – Mwanza – Musoma – Sirari – Kisumu – Kitale – Lokichogio)
• The Sumbawanga Corridor ( Tunduma – Sambawanga – Kasulu – Nyakaanazi)
• The Namanga Corridor (Tunduma – Arusha – Namaga – Nairobi – Isiolo – Moyale)

In the Energy Sector, the EU is supporting EAC to implement the Rwanda – Burundi 220Kv power interconnector at a cost of Euro 37.7million out of which the EU is providing Euro 16 million for the 10th EDF to finance the Burundian component. KfW of Germany is providing Euro 19.7 million out of which 16.7 million will finance the Rwandan section and Euro 3 million for the Burundian section.

The project entails the construction of a 143km transmission line from Kigoma in Rwanda to Gitega in Burundi via Butare (Rwanda) and Ngozi (Burundi). The transmission line will be designed at 220kV but initially operated at 110kV and will cover 62km in Rwanda’s territory and 81km in Burundi. The project includes the construction of a 20MW 110/30kV sub-station in Ngozi and in Gitaga.

The Rwanda – Burundi power interconnector is part of a larger ongoing multinational project to interconnect Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs):

EU has supported the establishment of One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) and the construction of these facilities is ongoing along several borders in the EAC, including the following:

1. Malaba between Kenya and Uganda
2. Busisa between Kenya and Uganda
3. Isebania/Sirari between Kenya and Tanzania
4. Mutukula between Tanzania and Uganda
5. Namanga between Kenya and Tanzania
6. Holili/Taveta between Kenya and Tanzania
7. Lunga Lunga/Hororo between Kenya and Tanzania
8. Rusumo between Rwanda and Tanzania
9. Katuna/Gatuna between Rwanda and Uganda
10. Nemba/Kanyaru between Burundi and Rwanda

11^th EDF Programming:

The East African Community has completed its 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Indicative Programme (RIP) which outlines the broad activities to be funded under the 11th EDF over the period 2014 -2020.

The projects in the EAC 11th EDF RIP are in the three Priority Areas of Regional Economic Integration, Peace and Security and Natural Resource Management and amount to a total of Euro 85 Million over the course of the 11th EDF cycle.