Posted in Press Release
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 30th August, 2018: A two-day Pre-Budget Conference for the EAC Organs and Institutions for the Financial Year 2019/2020 is underway at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The Conference is being attended by Members of the General Purpose Committee of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Permanent and Principal Secretaries, senior officials from Partner States, Heads of EAC Organs and Institutions, and staff from the Secretariat.
Gracing the opening session of the Conference was Uganda’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of East African Community Affairs, Mrs Edith Mwanje, who commended the Secretariat for convening the meeting and involving key stakeholders in the Community’s Budget Cycle.
Addressing the delegates, Hon. Abdikadir Omar Aden, the Chairperson of the Committee on General Purpose of EALA noted that EAC had registered commendable milestones which should be applauded and up-scaled to greater heights and achievements. However, he noted that there were challenges impacting on the smooth operation of projects and programmes, which need to be addressed urgently.
He disclosed that the Assembly was giving notice of the intention to, among others, introduce a Public Finance Management Bill that will fill all the gaps existing in the EAC Budget Act of 2008, whose provisions are continually disregarded.
He disclosed that EALA will pursue changes in recruitment (transparency), Human Resource matters in the Community as well as conditions of service of the staff of the Community, which fall under the mandate of the Committee on General Purpose. “It is no longer business as usual where policy decisions are made at the behest and will of particular entities, groups and even individuals”, noted Hon. Abdikadir Omar Aden.
The Chair of the General Purpose Committee pledged to lay a firm foundation for better cooperation between all stakeholders, Organs and Institutions of the Community.
On his part, Eng. Steven Mlote, the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, who represented the Secretary General, cited achievements made in the implementation of programmes under the four Pillars of EAC integration during the Financial Year 2017/18.
These included, among others, completion of the necessary arrangements for roll-out of all products within EAC to be transacted under the Single Customs Territory; enhancement of application of the Electronic Cargo Tracking System on the Northern Corridor; enhancement of customs automation in all Partner States through upgrades of the Customs systems and migration to more advanced and robust systems; and initiation of an inter-connectivity program to address weaknesses in customs valuation and monitoring of goods across the region.
The region made stride in completion of the construction of twelve (12) One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs). These include (Holili/Taveta; Rusumo; Ruhwa/ (BR)/Ruhwa (RW); Nemba/Gasenyi; Kagitumba/Mirama Hills; Busia (KE)/Busia (UG); Mutukula (TZ)/Mutukula (UG); Malaba (KE)/Malaba (UG); Kabanga/Kobero; Horohoro/Lunga Lunga; Sirari/Isebania; and Namanga).
He disclosed that to promote the region’s textile and leather industries, the review of the EAC Common External Tariff (CET) was underway, to among other outcomes, set rates that will provide incentives for value addition, as well as cushion the industry from dumping. On the other hand, Partner States had taken measures to promote the textile and leather sectors through enforcement of conformity with Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements, particularly for the used under-garments and synthetic shoes.
The Deputy Secretary General highlighted the challenges impacting on implementation of Community activities that include slow disbursement of funds by Partner States. “For instance, the status of contribution by Partner States towards the EAC main budget as of 29th August, 2018 was at 6% per cent, thus seriously affecting implementation of the activities planned for the first Quarter of the Financial Year 2018/19”, asserted the EAC official and urged Partner States to remit their contributions in time to enable the EAC Organs and Institutions deliver on their mandates.
The Deputy Secretary General proposed seven (7) global priority areas during the Financial Year 2019/20 to be considered by the Conference namely; consolidation of the Single Customs Territory (SCT) to promote intra-EAC trade; development of regional infrastructure (roads, railways, ports, energy, etc.); and enhancement of free movement of all factors of production and implementation of commitments on other areas of cooperation as envisaged under the Common Market.
Others include enhancement of regional industrial development through investment in key priority sectors, skills development, technological advancement and innovation to stimulate economic development; implementation of the Roadmap towards the EAC Monetary Union; promotion of regional peace, security and good governance, and completion of the Constitution-making for the EAC Political Federation; and finally institutional transformation, focusing on implementation of the Institutional Review recommendations, alternative financing and improvement of performance management at the EAC Organs and Institutions.
It is expected that at the end of the Conference, consensus and agreement will be developed in relation to the Community’s Global and Sector-specific priority areas for the FY 2019/20.
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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 five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001:2008 Certified
Posted in Press Release
East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania: August 20th, 2018: The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and the East African Business Council (EABC) have agreed to deepen co-operation in a bid to strengthen the integration process.
This afternoon, EALA Speaker, Rt Hon Ngoga Karoli Martin, received the EABC Chairman, Mr Nicholas Nesbitt, in the Speaker’s Chamber in Arusha, where both officials revealed the need to take the partnership a notch higher.
“Both institutions are to set to deepen areas of co-operation, the specifics of which shall be worked out later in September 2018, under an engagement framework”, it was agreed.
Speaker Ngoga rallied for a clear avenue of engagement that institutionalizes the efforts of the regional legislators and the private sector. “This is something we need to bring to fruition so that we strategize together and regularly consult over key matters of integration”, he added.
The Speaker remarked that EALA remained keen to enhance its legislative, representative and oversight role for the benefit of all stakeholders including the Business Community. He further lauded the regional private sector body for the tremendous work it continued to undertake in the region noting that it was a major driving force and engine for integration.
Rt Hon Ngoga said it was vital for stakeholders in the integration process to think ‘regional in their approach to issues’ saying the nationalistic tendencies should be discarded.
On his part, the EABC Chairman, Mr Nesbitt reiterated the EABC was focused on the ultimate prize of full integration and said the apex body as part of its strategy would be aligning itself with key institutions to realise mutual beneficially relationships.
Mr Nesbitt informed the Speaker that EABC would be holding a full Board meeting in Arusha in September 2018 and that a second meeting between both institutions (EABC and EALA) was necessary to discuss the “nuts and bolts” of co-operation.
The EABC Vice Chairman, Mwine Jim Kabeho said the Private Sector had continued to face a number of challenges which the Assembly was best placed to address while EABC’s Ambassador (and former EALA Chair of the Legal Rules and Privileges Committee), Hon Peter Mathuki said it was necessary for both institutions to interface and resolve many issues for a stronger integration and for posterity’s sake.
In attendance were senior EABC staff led by the CEO, Lilian Awinja, and the EALA Senior Public Relations Officer, Bobi Odiko.
NOTES TO THE EDITORS
The East African Business Council (EABC) is the apex body of business associations of the Private Sector and Corporates from the 6 East African Countries. It was established in 1997 to foster the interests of the Private Sector in the integration process of the East African Community. Originally comprising members from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, its membership was expanded after 2007 to include private sector from Burundi and Rwanda as well as South Sudan in 2017.
EALA is an Organ of the East African Community established in 2001 with a mandate of legislation, representation and oversight.
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For more information, please contact:
Bobi Odiko
Senior Public Relations Officer
East African Legislative Assembly
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255-27-2508240
Fax: +255-27-2503103
Cell: +255-787-870945, +254-733-718036
Email: BOdiko [at] eachq.org
Web: www.eala.org
About the East African Legislative Assembly:
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is the Legislative Organ of the Community and has a cardinal function to further EAC objectives, through its Legislative, Representative and Oversight mandate. It was established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.
