East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 2nd January, 2022: The 1st series of East African Community Capacity Building Sessions for Plant Health Inspectors on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to operationalize Pest Risk Analysis in the region concluded at Mutukula One Stop Border Post (OSBP) located on the Uganda/Tanzania border.
The five capacity building workshops conducted at the OSBPs of Namanga (Kenya/Tanzania), Malaba (Kenya/Uganda), Kabanga-Kobero (Tanzania/Burundi), Rusumo (Tanzania/Rwanda) and Mutukula (Tanzania/Uganda) were aimed at creating awareness amongst plant health inspectors on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for inspecting maize, beans and rice for pests of phytosanitary importance in the EAC.
Inter-University Council of East Africa, Mombasa, Kenya, 2nd February, 2022: Student enrolment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges supported by the World Bank-funded East African Skills for Transformation Project (EASTRIP) has increased more than fourfold, according to the mid-term evaluation report of the project.
The report undertaken to review the project performance at its mid-term, revealed that the total student enrolment in 16 Regional Flagship TVET Institutes (RFTIs) increased from 6,971 students at baseline to 30,776 students at mid-term, higher than the overall project target to enrol 20,000 students annually in both long-term and short-term training programmes.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 1st February, 2022: The European Union (EU) has reiterated its willingness to support East African Community (EAC) Partner States to curb cross-border security threats in the region.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Tanzania and the EAC, Amb. Manfredo Fanti, disclosed that the EU was implementing various regional peace and security initiatives in the EAC and the Horn of Africa.
Amb. Fanti was speaking during the opening session of the 1st Project Steering Committee of the EAC “Joint Response to Regional and Cross-Border Security Threats” Project in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 28th January, 2022: The EAC has made steady progress in the recruitment of staff for the existing vacancies in its Organs and Institutions.
Interviews for various positions which commenced on 17th January, 2022, have progressed without any hitches and are set to conclude on 4th February 2022.
The interview panels were composed of seven (7) members consisting of the representatives of the six (6) Partner States and one representing the Secretary General.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 28th January, 2022: The EAC Secretariat applauds the leadership and governments of the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Uganda for their efforts towards re-opening of the Gatuna-Katuna border post on 31st January, 2022.
EAC Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki has hailed the move terming it as a boost to regional integration, noting that strengthening bilateral ties between the two EAC Partner States will revitalize social, economic and political relations.
“Re-opening this strategic trade route is in line with the provisions of the EAC Common Market Protocol and is set to accelerate economic and social development of the Partner States by reviving the free movement of goods, persons, capital and labour,” said Dr. Mathuki.
Dr. Mathuki said that the re-opening of the border would also promote peace and security across the region.
“The move is a reflection of the deep commitment and existing goodwill among the EAC Heads of State to widen and deepen cooperation in the bloc, particularly as the Community expands with the anticipated entry of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.
He further said that the Community was committed to supporting initiatives that promote regional integration within East Africa.
“The Secretariat is ready to provide any technical support that may be required to ensure sustainability on the movement of goods and services across all the borders,” said Dr. Mathuki.
The re-opening of the border is set to spark social and economic activities and also benefit the informal cross-border traders who rely on the two Partner States for the supply and market of their goods.
It will also fast-track the operationalization of the Gatuna-Katuna One-Stop Border Post and in turn, reduce the cost of doing business across East Africa.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka Senior Public Relations Officer Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 768 552087 Email: sowaka [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 27th January, 2022: The East African Community Secretariat has embarked on capacity building on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for plant health inspectors at its One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) to ensure that the region is protected from threats of pest infestation against key agricultural commodities.
The SOPs were developed to operationalize the Pest Risk Analysis (PRAs) for maize, beans and rice that are the most widely traded in the region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 17th January, 2022: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reaffirmed her willingness to join the East African Community.
DRC’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’Apala, said that DRC was looking forward to increased trade and investment, and strengthened relations with EAC, adding that her relations with EAC Partner States had largely been at a bilateral level.
Hon. Pen’Apala said that DRC was keen on cooperating with the EAC for maximum exploitation of both natural and human resources in the region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 15th January, 2022: The Republic of Uganda has agreed to double the number of health officers at the Busia and Malaba borders posts, from 50 to 100, as part of efforts to clear the backlog of trucks at the border posts.
The Republic of Kenya, on her part, informed the 3rd Joint Multi-Sectoral Virtual Meeting of Ministers of EAC Affairs, Health and Transport held on Friday of the availability of sufficient Covid-19 rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits and staff to support Uganda in Covid-19 testing at the border posts.
Kenya affirmed readiness to immediately deploy 15 or more health workers and provide RDT test kits to enhance Covid-19 testing at Malaba and Busia border posts.
Uganda also committed to recognizing the Covid-19 test certificate that shall be issued by Kenya’s Ministry of Health with a validity period of 72 hours using either PCR or RDT testing protocols.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 11th January, 2022: The Republic of Uganda has committed to conduct free Covid-19 rapid tests at the Kenya-Uganda border points of Busia and Malaba for (seven (7) days to clear the truck traffic snarl-up that has disrupted intra-EAC trade on the Northern Transit Corridor.
This follows a joint multi-sectoral virtual meeting of the Ministers/Cabinet Secretaries responsible for EAC Affairs, Health and Transport convened by the EAC Secretariat.
Currently, over 4,500 trucks have stalled at the two border posts due to the mandatory Covid-19 testing requirement introduced by Uganda on 20th December, 2021.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 10th January, 2022: East African Community Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki, has called upon East Africans to turn out in large numbers as part of collective efforts to contain the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus the region.
Dr. Mathuki also encouraged those who have been vaccinated to go for booster shots to ensure continued protection against the virus.
Dr. Mathuki said that resistance to vaccines was undermining efforts to jumpstart the regional economy after the damage caused by the virus.
