EAC Commemorates Europe Day at 2nd Annual LEAC Conference
The Second Annual Conference on Leiden-East African Community (LEAC) Law was held yesterday as part of the annual commemoration of the Europe Day at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The conference themed: ‘From Rules to Reality’ was graced by Amb. Roeland van de Geer, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania and to the EAC.
The Second Annual LEAC Conference was organised with the support of the EAC, the EU delegation to Tanzania, the East African Court of Justice and Europa Institute of Leiden Law School. It brought together judges, academicians, legal practitioners, business people and government and EAC officials to discuss the importance and opportunities for building a legal community to support and inspire East African integration including the steps needed to create a thriving legal community for the EAC, and how the community can work towards realising the set out objectives for the bloc and its citizens.
Addressing the gathering, Amb. Roeland van de Geer commended the leadership at the EAC Headquarters for hosting the event on behalf of the EU and pointed out that it was now a consolidated tradition for the EU and the EAC to organise, on the occasion of the EU Day, a conference on an important topic in the framework of EU’s support to the regional integration. “This year we chose to celebrate the launch of a textbook titled; EAC Law, Institutional, Substantive and Comparative EU Law Aspects”, the EU envoy affirmed.
On behalf of the EAC Secretary General Mr Liberat Mfumukeko, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Dr. Enos Bukuku, hailed the EU for its valuable support and contribution to the EAC integration agenda affirming that; “Indeed, EU’s support in EAC’s programmes, activities and projects has made a significant impact on the integration agenda. He said EAC had benefited from exchange of knowledge and best practices from the EU, apart from the financial support. “We count on continued support from the EU as well as on exchange of information and experiences on integration.”
Dr Bukuku appreciated the efforts of the editors of the textbook on EAC Law which was launched at the event. The textbook is co-authored by Hon. Justice Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, the Judge President of the East African Court of Justice; Prof. John Eudes Ruhangisa, Judge of the High Court of Tanzania and former Registrar of EACJ; Dr. Armin Cuyvers, Assistant Professor of EU Law at Leiden University and Co-Chair of the Leiden Centre for East African Law and Prof. Tom Ottervanger, Proffessor of EU Law at Leiden University and founder of the Leiden Centre for East African Law. Prof. Tom presented the first comprehensive textbook on EAC law to Dr Bukuku, who received it on behalf of the EAC Secretary General.
At the same occasion, Hon. Justice Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, the Judge President of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) applauded the relationship EAC has fostered with the EU, stating that “EAC greatly values the strategic operations of the EU and upholds it as one of its very committed development partners”. “This book is result of a unique collaboration between the East African Court of Justice, the Leiden Centre for East African Law and an exclusive selection of EAC law experts in the different EAC Partner States.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. John Eudes Ruhangisa reflected on the main concerns of legal practitioners across the region and emphasised the need for Partner States to draw a line between supra-nationalism and inter-governmentalism as stipulated in the EAC Treaty.
”It is clear that the law within EAC takes precedence over national laws and hence Partner States should not use their sovereignty to derail the integration agenda”. The former and founder registrar of EACJ also identified different articles within the EAC Treaty that are in contradiction and urged Members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) to make both necessary and sufficient amendments to the EAC Treaty to avoid further misconceptions.
Among the panelists during the discussions were the Chair; Dr. Armin Cuyvers, Prof. Kennedy Gastorn (University of Dar Es Salaam Law School), Leonard Obura Aloo (Lecturer at University of Nairobi), Dr. Khotic C. Kamanga (University of Dar Es Salaam Law School) and Dr. Elvis Mbembe Binda (Lecturer at University of Rwanda).
Discussions centred on the essential questions on the creation of a legal community, the political commitment of the Partner States to the education of the next generation of EAC citizens, among others.
Other participants in attendance included university students mainly pursuing law within the EAC region as well as representatives from Civil Society Organisations, EAC Youth Ambassadors, and the East African Law Society.