EAC Secretary General meets President of the African Development Bank
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 15th February, 2019: The Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko today met with the President of African Development Bank(AfDB) Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina at the AfDB headquarters in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The Secretary General briefed the President on the status of EAC integration, highlighting the progress in the 4 pillars of integration and articulated the support needed from the Bank.
Amb. Mfumukeko appreciated and acknowledged the great support provided by the Bank especially in the area of Infrastructure Development and the Financial Sector.
In their discussions, the Secretary General took the opportunity to seek support in the implementation of the EAC 5th Development Strategy, which he said requires US$985 million over a period of 5 years. He specifically sought support in the areas of Agriculture and Industry.
The Secretary General also requested support for implementation of the EAC Heads of State approved infrastructure projects during their Retreat in Kampala in February 2018. The Secretary General informed the President that the EAC Heads of State approved a list of 286 Infrastructure Projects which are estimated to cost US$78 billion to implemented over a period of 10 years.
On his part, the President of the AfDB appreciated the visit by the EAC Secretary General, noting that the EAC is the most active and dynamic Regional Economic Bloc with very clear results and a very high level of political momentum.
Dr. Adesina lauded the EAC for the great gains made in the implementation of the Customs Union and the Common Market. He specifically commended the progress in free movement of people and increased trade. He noted that EAC Countries are now issuing the East African e-Passport.
Both the Secretary General and the President agreed on the following:
- AfDB will provide more support to Agriculture and Industry and especially Agri-industrialization. The President noted that it is critical to link infrastructure projects with agriculture development and industrial development for the benefits to reach the common citizenry in EAC;
- AfDB agreed to support establishment of an AfDB coordination and capacity building unit at the EAC HQs noting that the AfDB portfolio has grown and therefore need for more coordination, strategic and analytical capacity;
- The Bank committed to present EAC bankable projects to the AfDB coordinated African Investment Forum in November 2019 in South Africa. A joint team of EAC and AfDB will work on preparing bankable projects for presentation to that effect.
The President was accompanied by Dr. Khaled Sherif, AfDB Vice-President for Regional Integration and Business Delivery and Dr. Caleb Weggoro, AfDB Executive Director responsible for East Africa; while Amb Mfumukeko was accompanied by Dr. James Njagu, EAC Chief de Cabinet and Ms. Beata Mukabaranga, EAC Principal Resource Mobilization Officer.
-ENDS-
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