Support to East African Market Driven and People Centred Integration East Africa (SEAMPEC) to focus on value addition and trade
Pandemic preparedness to continue to focus on the prevention of and response to infectious disease outbreaks of public health concern in the region
Implementation building on and expanding the scope of successful programme outcomes
The East African Community Secretariat and the EAC GIZ programme supporting East African Integration on behalf of the German Government, today signed an implementation agreement worth US$16 million for continuing support for EAC regional integration through their SEAMPEC and Pandemic Preparedness programmes.
The programmes are managed through the EAC-GIZ partnership to continue to grow regional economic and social integration which already has a significant impact in the region.
The SEAMPEC programme, through its multiple cross-cutting initiatives, takes a holistic approach to regional integration that encompasses civil society as well as the public and private sectors. Through targeted work in sectors including agro-processing, pharmaceuticals as well as services sectors such as tourism and ICT, SEAMPEC aims to facilitate the improvement of framework conditions to help create more competitive industries and cross border opportunities.
“GIZ and the Secretariat have been developing and managing key projects working with partners across the EAC region with a focus on making the Common Market, Customs Union and integration a reality.
Through the SEAMPEC programme many businesses and civil society organisations have all benefited from collaborating on the ground and high-level networking and coalition activities. We are proud to continue to implement programmes which are showing real results and bringing tangible benefits to the citizens of the EAC,” said Dr Mike Falke, GIZ Country Director for Tanzania and EAC.
Another US$3 million of the funding are going towards the ‘Support to Pandemic Preparedness in the EAC Region’ project, which started in March 2017 and entered its second phase in September 2019. This project is working closely with the EAC to implement the Regional Contingency Plan under the interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral One Health approach and to establish the discipline of risk and crisis communication in the region.
The project supports the EAC Secretariat in its coordinating and advisory role in the prevention and response to cross-border outbreaks. The project builds on important preparatory work and ensures that when pandemic health threats become a reality, EAC countries are in the best position to respond.
“Diseases such as Ebola and Dengue Fever are claiming lives and destroying livelihoods right now. High population density, increasing cross-border trade, climate change and many other factors increase the risk of spreading these infectious diseases. Being ready to respond and having the tools and expertise to be effective in emergency situations is crucial,” said Irene Lukassowitz, GIZ project manager. Following a successful cross border field simulation exercise between Kenya and Tanzania in June 2019, another field simulation exercise at the border between South Sudan and Uganda in 2020 will prepare the region even better.
“Germany's development cooperation, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU), has to date contributed to the regional integration in East Africa through a variety of programmes and projects aimed at building up regional expertise and value adding to trade, industrial development, innovation and investment. GIZ has been working with the EAC for over 20 years, building capacities and expertise at the EAC Secretariat and for regional stakeholders.
SEAMPEC and the Pandemic Preparedness programme already have many achievements, and by continuing to grow these initiatives and invest in their successes we are confident that real EAC development is happening,” said Dr Kirsten Focken, GIZ Cluster Coordinator.
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Contacts: Dr Kirsten Focken SEAMPEC Programme Manager This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany announced additional funds of US$128 million (EUR 115.8 million) today which will be supporting health and education programmes in the East African Community.
The majority of the funds (US$105 million [EUR 95 million]) will be going towards the EAC’s immunization programme with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The EAC Secretary General, Amb. Libérat Mfumukeko, and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Federal Republic of Germany, Jörg Herrera, jointly signed the Agreement in Arusha today.
East African Community, Sandton, South Africa 13th November, 2019: The East African Community (EAC) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) signed a strategic partnership agreement at the African Investment Forum in South Africa.
The strategic partnership with EAC will enable the DBSA to support collaborative initiatives that will crowd-in resources for the development of infrastructure that promotes regional integration. The partners will also work together on project preparation and ultimately co-financing of projects and capacity building.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th November, 2019: The 2nd East African Community Development Partner’ Group (DPG) Thematic Groups (TGs) meeting on Infrastructure and Economic Integration was convened at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The key objective of the thematic groups meeting was to discuss thematic strategic issues in details, while ensuring alignment with Development Partners’ respective strategic goals and also resource implications.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 2nd August, 2019: The Federal Republic of Germany has committed Euro 35 million to East African Community to be invested in vaccination programmes in the Partner States.
Speaking at the EAC headquarters, Senior Policy Officer from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms Claudia Imwolde-Krämer said Germany is contributing Euro 35 million to immunization programmes in the EAC. “I appreciate and acknowledge the EAC’s efforts to immunize every child in the region”.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 21st March, 2019: The Director General for Eastern Africa Region at the African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr. Gabriel Negatu has pledged more support to agriculture and industrialization in the East African Community (EAC) bloc.
The Director General made the statement yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on the EAC Secretary General Amb Liberat Mfumukeko at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. He noted that investment in agriculture and industrialization is the crucial for the development of the region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 19th February, 2019: The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany committed a grant of over USD 35 million (EUR 31.5 million) to the East African Community (EAC) to further support the regional organisation in the areas of health, regional economic integration and education.
The EAC Secretary General, Amb. Libérat Mfumukeko, and the German Ambassador to the EAC, Dr. Detlef Wächter, jointly signed the Agreements in Arusha today.
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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 22th November, 2018: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko and Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania and EAC H.E Wang Ke today signed the grant agreement worth 200,000 USD to support EAC integration process.
Speaking during the signing ceremony the Chinese Ambassador noted the great contribution China is making to the region especially in infrastructure both as an investor and contractor. Ambassador Ke said China is committed to to continue support peace building and good governance process in the region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 23rd October, 2018: The 2nd East African Community Development Partners Consultative Forum aimed at promoting better coordination of development support to the EAC by various development partners was held today at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The forum sought to foster synergies and leverage available resources while avoiding duplication of efforts in financing EAC programmes and projects.
Addressing the forum, the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko saidover the last five years, Development Partners had committed about $500 million direct and technical support to various aspects of the EAC integration.
“With this revamped collaboration, the EAC has been able to progress the integration agenda with remarkable speed,” said the Secretary General.
He diclsosed that the main contributors to the EAC Development Programmes include Germany, the USA through USAID East Africa, European Union (EU), and the African Development Bank. The total German contribution to EAC amounts to€286,541,354.42; USAID $237,823,555; and the EU Euro 65,000,000.
Amb. Mfumukeko expressed EAC appreciation for the approval of the African Development Bank Regional Integration Strategy Paper for Eastern Africa (EA-RISP 2018-22), in which EAC Projects worth about US$2 billion have been considered in the RISP indicative operational programme. This includes loans to the EAC Partner States for regional programmes and grant to the EAC.
The Secretary General said that the EAC has transformed itself from a loose co-operation framework into a fast-emerging, solid and dynamic regional economic bloc. He added that the EAC has evolved strong institutions and vigorous programme delivery, which are already making an impact on the economies of the region.
Amb. Mfumukeko disclosed to the participants that the EAC has been ranked as first among the eight (8) Regional Economic Communities (RECs) from the recently Africa Regional Integration Index Report launched in Addis Ababa through the collaboration between the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Union Commission (AUC)
He however called for more partnerships with the business community and, in particular, the East African Business Council in industrial development through investment in private sector development, improvement of doing business environment and finally an enhance.
On his part, the head of Delegation of the European Union, Amb. Roeland van de Geer, said the forum is valuable for Development Partners to ensure an alignment of their respective cooperation programmes with those of the EAC.
He appreciated the willingness of the EAC Secretariat to engage on sector specific priority areas particulary on key regional priorities given the wide and ambitious portfolio of EAC.
Amb. Roeland emphasized the need for involving all EAC institutions and representatives of key regional non-state actors including the private sector in the forum to share their valuable experience of regional integration.
Amb. Roeland assured the EAC that all Development Partners are willing to support the key priorities of as EAC articulated in the 5th Development Strategy endorsed in February 2018.
In his remarks, Mr. Marcellin Ndong Ntah, the lead Economist from the African Development Bank said the Development Partners Consultative Forum promotes the principle of ownership of the development assistance that may be availed to the EAC and its Partner states to drive Region’s development agenda.
Mr. Ndong hailed the EAC for establishing the forum noting that it would enable better coordination of development assistance by Development Partners to the Community.
The 2nd EAC Development Partners Consultative Forum was attended by: Ambassadors accredited to the EAC; Members of the Proposed EAC Development Partners Group; Other EAC Development Partners and Representatives from EAC Organs and Institutions among other.
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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.
