Posted in Press Release
EALA Members commenced a five-day capacity building workshop on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Auditing processes yesterday in Zanzibar, Tanzania in a bid to enhance the oversight function of the Assembly.
EALA Speaker, Rt Hon. Daniel Fred Kidega said the workshop was deemed necessary to enhance the oversight function of the Assembly.
The capacity building workshop presents an opportune moment for EALA to be able to harness understanding of the technical workings of the MTEF budgeting and to comprehend the procedures that go on in the auditing processes.
“Interesting topics include the role of the Committee on Accounts and the Assembly in the Accountability process as well as the technical and political review of the Audit Commission Report. This is deemed necessary for the Members as a means to enhancing our oversight function”, the EALA Speaker said.
The Committees on Accounts and General Purpose called for enhancement of capacities in the field to arm the Assembly with the necessary skills and expertise and to improve the oversight function.
The EALA Members are also expected to undertake a capacity building course in Kiswahili to shore up their efforts in sensitising the citizens in the region.
The EALA Speaker remarked that Kiswahili was a key uniting factor for the region and in strengthening the integration process.
“As the integration deepens and specifically with the Common Market Protocol in effect, it is important for all EAC citizens to speak Kiswahili to avoid lagging behind. It is also expected to serve as an important tool in forging the much awaited Political Federation in the region”, Rt Hon. Kidega said.
Kiswahili is the lingua franca of the Community as envisaged under Article 137 of the EAC Treaty. Kiswahili is widely spoken in diverse regions across the EAC region.
He said Members would benefit a great deal by sharpening Kiswahili as they strive to sensitise citizens of the region.
“As an Assembly, we also have no choice but to perfect our Kiswahili. Already many of us are quite comfortable with Kiswahili, but this is no excuse for we need to be articulate, knowledgeable and fluent if we are to fully sensitise the citizens of this great region”, the Speaker added.
The Kiswahili Commission was established as an institution of the EAC and is based in Zanzibar.
The objectives of the workshop are as follows:
- To enhance capacity of Members in the MTEF, budgeting process;
- To enhance the capacity of Members’ technical knowledge on EAC Audited Accounts;
- To enhance the knowledge and fluency in the Kiswahili language;
- To enhance the Members’ capacity to accomplish the fulfilment of the functions and roles of the Assembly by improved effectiveness in 1 and 3.
Under the Audit function, the workshop inter alia, expects to enhance Members’ capacity to carry out the post audit function that encompasses the need to monitor the implementation of the budget in a manner similar to internal audit. This is pursuant to Rule 72(1) of the EALA Rules of Procedure that enables the Assembly to monitor the implementation of the budget of the Community through the Committee responsible for budgetary control and other relevant Committees.
Topics to be covered hereunder include: the role of the Committee on Accounts and the Assembly in the Accountability process; the technical and political review of the Audit Commission Report and auditing standards. Audit processes and the role of stakeholders in Accountability relationships shall be looked at.
The Consultants are drawn from the Audit Commission and the University of Zanzibar.
As the regional Assembly, EALA’s mandate encompasses legislation, oversight and representation. Sensitisation of publics is a key plank of EALA’s activities and is the theme of its Strategic Plan anchored on a people-centred approach to widening and deepening of the EAC integration process.
Posted in Press Release
The Norwegian Minister for Trade and Industry, Ms Monica Mæland, and the Secretary-General of the East African Community, Amb. Dr Richard Sezibera, today witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the East African Business Council (EABC) and Innovation Norway at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The MoU was signed by Innovation Norway’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Anita Krohn Traaseth, while EABC Chairman Dennis Karera signed on behalf of his organisation.
Under the MoU, which will be effective for a period of five years, EABC and Innovation Norway agreed to work together on various agreed upon priority areas including trade facilitation; joint activities that are beneficial to both institutions including conferences, trade missions (both international and regional); and, business to business engagement both in EAC and Norway and the Nordic countries.
Some of the main areas of co-operation will be in the petroleum and education sectors with the latter focusing on the information and communication technology sector. The two parties further agreed to increase market access through information sharing; promote investment in both regions; and, capacity building and technical assistance.
EABC and Innovation Norway also undertake to jointly: work together to advocate for beneficial trade and good investment climate in the two regions; work together to develop business to business engagement to enhance business partnerships and networking; and, exchange information on business opportunities in both regions.
Earlier on, the Norwegian Minister for Trade and Industry, Ms Monica Mæland, and the EAC Secretary-General, Amb. Dr Richard Sezibera, held bilateral talks on possible areas of cooperation between Norway and the EAC.
The talks focused on the upcoming negotiations between the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) and the EAC. The Secretary-General informed Ms Mæland that the EAC Council of Ministers was quite positive about the negotiations with EFTA. EFTA is an inter-governmental organisation which comprises Ireland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Founded in 1960, it promotes free trade and economic integration among its Member States.
EFTA Member States have expressed interest in strengthening ties with the EAC Partner States and have proposed a Joint Declaration on Co-operation between the two Parties. It is hoped that the Joint Declaration on Co-operation will be signed in November this year.
Also present at the function were the Norwegian Ambassador to Tanzania and the EAC, Ms Hanne-Marie Kaarstad; EAC Deputy Secretary-General (Planning and Infrastructure) Dr Enos Bukuku; Director-General Customs and Trade, Mr Peter Kiguta; and, other senior officials.