Posted in SG Forum

INTRODUCTION

Article 7 1 (a) of the Treaty Establishing the East African Community states that:  the principles that shall govern the practical achievements of the objectives of the community shall include People-Centred and Market-Driven cooperation. The involvement of the people of East Africa was considered as part of lessons learnt from the original EAC, whose collapse was partly attributed to the non-involvement of these key stakeholders and the wider citizenry of East Africa.

Article 127(4) of the Treaty states that “The Secretary General shall provide the forum for consultations between the private sector, civil society organizations, other interest groups and appropriate institutions of the Community” while Article 129 (2) requests the Council to “establish modalities that would enable the business organizations or associations, professional bodies and the civil society in the Partner States to contribute effectively to the development of the Community.”

To operationalize the above provisions, the Council of Ministers at its 26^th Meeting adopted the Consultative Dialogue Framework (CDF) for Private Sector, Civil Society and other interest groups in the EAC integration process (EAC/CM26/DECISION 06). The CDF provides a mechanism for the involvement of the citizenry and is implemented in the context of multi-stakeholder partnerships to ensure that the objectives of widening and deepening cooperation among the Partner States in; political, economic, social, cultural, health, education, science and technology, defence, security, legal and judicial affairs are achieved for the benefit of the people of East Africa.

The Objectives of the EAC Consultative Dialogue Framework

The CDF is a structured guide aimed at ensuring inclusive and consultative participation of the private sector, civil society, professional associations and other interest groups on the one hand, and the EAC on the other, towards realizing the community objectives and promoting a people-centred and market-driven integration process.

The objectives of the CDF are to:

• Allow CSOs, PSOs, other interest groups and EAC to consultatively work towards realising the Community Objectives and to ensure a people-centred integration process.
• Enhance and strengthen partnerships between CSOs and PSOs and with the EAC
• Provide a structured framework for consultation between EAC, Partner States, Civil Society, Private Sector and other interest groups on the East African integration process
• Provide an enabling environment for PSOs, CSOs and other interest groups to participate in the EAC integration process and discussions, among others

The Framework as adopted envisages regular and continuous dialogue between EAC, Partner States, CSOs, PSOs and other interest groups both at the national and regional levels. It also provides for an annual forum convened by the Secretary General of the EAC.

THE ANNUAL SECRETARY GENERAL’S FORUM

Context Analysis

The Annual EAC Secretary General’s Forum over the years

Since the adoption of the CDF, six editions of the annual Secretary General’s Forums have been held. The first Forum took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in December 2012 with the theme: “Review of Implementation of The EAC Common Market”; The Second was in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2013 and the theme was “The EAC We Want”; The third was held in Entebbe September 2014 under the theme “EAC: My Home, My Business”; The Fourth Forum was in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania March 2016, under the theme “Good Governance and Constitutionalism in the East African Community”; and the fifth forum was held in June 2017 in Bujumbura, Burundi under the theme: “15 Years of The EAC: Towards a Borderless Community”. The sixth forum was held from 23^rd -24^th July 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya under the theme “Strategizing for impact: people-centred and market-driven integration.”

An analysis of status of implementation of the recommendations from the previous SG Forums reveals that a total of 133 recommendations were made and adopted by the respective meetings of the Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs and Planning (SCMEAP). Out of the total recommendations made, 22 are fully implemented, 58 are partly implemented, 48 are not implemented and 6 recommendations lack any update.

THE 7^TH ANNUAL EAC SECRETARY GENERAL’S FORUM

The Secretary General's Forum is a pivotal platform for discussing and strategizing on the pressing issues that affect the East African region. This year’s forum, under the theme "Towards a Resilient and Fully Integrated East Africa: Harnessing Opportunities in the Borderless Community," aims to address the multifaceted challenges facing the region while exploring the vast opportunities that can be harnessed for collective growth and development. The forum will feature discussions under five key subthemes, each tackling critical areas essential for the region's resilience and integration.

Rationale of the 7th SG’s Forum

The continuous dialogue process culminating in the Secretary General’s Forum is an opportunity to widen and deepen the EAC integration process and ensure enhanced stakeholder participation and inclusivity.  It is also a platform for the citizenry to directly contribute to policymaking process by identifying issues that directly affect them and seeking both regional solutions. The forum provides a space to dialogue on opportunities and challenges provided by the EAC integration process as well as for stakeholders to share experiences.  Building on the above, the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with Private Sector, Civil Society, and other interest groups is convening the 5th SG’s Forum to create a space in which all the stakeholders in the integration process can take stock of the progress towards the one destiny of the EAC.   The dialogue process will not only identify common barriers to regional integration but also showcase the success stories in the last 25 years.

Objectives

The core objective of the 7^th Annual EAC Secretary General’s Forum is to provide an opportunity for the private sector, civil society and other interest groups to share experiences and good practices of the integration process and foster a collaborative approach towards a common future of political integration and a borderless community.

The specific objectives of the SG’s Forum are:

1. Facilitate Knowledge Exchange: Create a platform for the private sector, civil society, and other interest groups to share experiences and best practices regarding the EAC integration process over the past 22 years.
2. Promote Collaborative Solutions: Encourage dialogue among stakeholders to identify common barriers to regional integration and develop coordinated strategies for political integration and the creation of a borderless community.
3. Enhance Stakeholder Participation: Strengthen the involvement of all stakeholders in regional integration including governments, CSOs, PSOs, Local Governments, Interest Groups, Professional Bodies, Academia, and Media, in the integration process.
4. Develop Actionable Recommendations: Generate clear and practical recommendations for submission to the EAC Secretary General and the Council of Ministers.

Theme, Sub-themes and Topics

Theme: Towards a Resilient and Fully Integrated East Africa: Harnessing Opportunities in the Borderless Community

As the EAC commemorates the 25^th anniversary of EAC integration, the 7^th Annual EAC Secretary General's Forum presents a pivotal opportunity to address the region's critical issues. The forum aims to foster practical discussions that resonate with stakeholders and align with the EAC integration pillars and the 6^th Development Strategy such as:

Expected Outputs

The expected outputs of the 7^th SG’s Forum are as follows:

1. Good practices and lessons of the last 25 years of regional integration shared among the participants of the conference and the wider public through presentations, recorded stakeholder testimonies (documentaries) and exhibitions.
2. Clear and practical recommendations submitted to the Secretary General for consideration by the EAC Council of Ministers.

Participants

The 7^th SG’s Forum will bring together participants drawn from Governments of EAC Partner States, PSOs, CSOs, Professional bodies, Academia/Universities, Media and EAC Organs and Institutions, Development Partners and other interest groups.

Venue and Dates

The 7th Annual EAC Secretary General’s Forum will take place in Nairobi, Kenya from 10^th -11^th December 2024.