East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 1st December, 2018: Tanzanian President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta today commissioned the Namanga One Stop Border Post on the Kenya/Tanzania border.
The two Heads of State directed border agencies to facilitate small traders by allowing them to operate freely across the borders instead of using threats to demand bribes from them.
The two Presidents said that it was unkind for border agencies to discriminate against small traders in favour of big entrepreneurs yet the former were the mainstay of the East African economies.
“We as governments are here to facilitate the people of our two countries to do business. We are not in the business of doing business,” said President Kenyatta.
President Kenyatta, however, warned that operating freely across the borders was not a blank cheque for engaging illegal business activities like smuggling, gun-running, drug-trafficking and trading in wildlife parts. He urged business people to obey the law by engaging in lawful business only.
In his remarks, President Magufuli said that one the major obstacles to cross border trade in Africa was the lack of trade facilitation, citing numerous delays at the ports, national borders and checkpoints on the roads.
President Magufuli cited a World Bank report which indicates that lack of trade facilitation increases the costs of doing business in Africa by 75%. This had hindered intra-continental trade in Africa making it lag behind other continents on this parameter.
He said that the EAC had therefore embarked on the construction of 15 One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) across the region so as to promote intra-regional trade. President Magufuli said that the completion and operationalization of the OSBPs had come with benefits especially for travellers, tourists and traders by reducing the amount of time they spent at the border.
President Magufuli noted that the operationalization of the Namanga OSBP had seen revenues on the Tanzanian side rise from TShs3 billion to TShs4.8 billion in the 2017/2018 Financial Year, adding that it was projected to increase to TShs5.8 billion in the current Financial Year.
The Tanzanian Head of State said that the OSBPs were supposed to be a catalyst for trade and warned border officials against defeating this purpose by engaging in corruption in the OSBPs.
The Heads of State further called for increased investment and trade between the two countries which they described as made of people who shared a common history, cultures and languages, adding that people from the two countries were therefore not enemies.
“We should break down the borders drawn by our former colonial powers. East Africans are one people,” said President Kenyatta. President Magufuli said Kenya was the third biggest investor in Tanzania after the United Kingdom and South Africa, and called on Tanzanian entrepreneurs as well to invest in Kenya and other EAC countries.
The two presidents thanked the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for funding the construction of the Arusha-Namanga-Athi River road.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Gabriel Negatu, the Director General of the AfDB’s Eastern Africa Regional Hub, disclosed that the Bank would finance the construction of the Malindi-Mombasa-Lunga Lunga/Horohoro-Tanga-Bagamoyo Highway at the cost of US$322 million.
The Federal Republic of Germany has also provided support to the EAC Secretariat on the operationalization of the OSBPs in particular through substantial technical cooperation. The German financed “AU Border Programme at the EAC” has supported the EAC Secretariat through GIZ to develop and validate the EAC regional training curriculum on OSBPs aimed at building the technical capacity of border agencies to better manage border crossing points in a more secured, coordinated and efficient manner.
A Training of Trainers on the OSBP regional curriculum was conducted with over three hundred officers at 12 OSBPs trained in the past two years. This year, the programme supported an assessment of the operationalisation of OSBPs and the impact of border management in the regional integration agenda as well as the development of the EAC e-immigration policy.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
To date out of the 15 border posts earmarked to operate as OSBPs, 12 have been completed while 10 are now operational. The completed and operational OSBPs are Gasenyi/Nemba, Ruhwa, Rusumo, Holili/Taveta, Kagitumba/Mirama Hills, Mutukula, Kabanga/Kobero, Malaba, Busia and Namanga. The completed but non-operational OSBPs are Lunga Lunga/Horohoro and Isebania/Sirare. Those that have not been constructed are Katuna/Katuna, Kanyaru/Akanyaru and Mugina Mannyovu.
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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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 30th November, 2018: The 20th Ordinary Meeting of the Summit of the East African Community Heads of State that was slated for Friday, 30th November, 2018 at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) in Arusha, Tanzania has been postponed to a later date.
Making the announcement at the AICC’s Simba Hall, the Chairperson of the EAC Council, Hon Dr. Kirunda Kivejinja, said that the Summit would not take place due to a lack of quorum caused by the absence of the Republic of Burundi.
“According to Rule 11 of the Rules of Procedure of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State, quorum is made of all Partner States representation which is in consonance with decision making by consensus under Article 12 of the Treaty,” Dr. Kivejinja, who is also Uganda’s 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of EAC Affairs.
The decision to postpone the 20th Ordinary Summit was taken by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda; President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya; President Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli of Tanzania; Hon. Paul Moyom Akec, Minister of Trade, Industry and EAC Affairs representing South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and; Hon. Dr. Richard Sezibera, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, representing Rwandan President Paul Kagame, all of whom were present at the meeting venue in Arusha.
“The Heads of State regret the inconveniences caused to the distingushed delegates and guests,” said Dr. Kivejinja.
The Summit meeting was preceded by the 38th Meeting of the Council of Ministers which was also not attended by the Republic of Burundi.
Among the items which were on the Provisional Agenda of the 20th Summit of the EAC Heads of State were: the status of ratification of various protocols; the status of resolution of long outstanding non-tariff barriers, and; the progress report on the adoption of Political Confederation as a Transitional Model to the East African Political Federation.
Other items on the Agenda were: the roadmap for the accelerated integration of the Republic of South Sudan into the EAC, and; the verification exercise for the admission of the Republic of Somalia into the Community.
The Summit was also to consider reports on modalities for the promotion of Motor Vehicle Assembly in East Africa aimed at reducing importation of used vehicles into the Community, and; the review of the textile and leather sector with a view to developing a strong and competitive domestic sector that gives consumers better choice than imported textile and footwear.
The Summit was also to review a progress report by the Council of Ministers on the Summit Directive on having two (2) Deputy Secretaries General at the Community recruited competitively on a rotational basis among the Partner States.
The Summit had been expected to assent to various Bills passed by the East Legislative Assembly, namely: the EAC Polythen Materials Control Bill, 2016; the Administration of the East African Court of Justice Bill, 2018; the EAC Monetary Institute Bill, 2018, and; the EAC Customs Management (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
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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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 27th November, 2018: The Secretary General of the EAC, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, on Monday held bilateral talks with a French government delegation led by the country’s Ambassador to Tanzania, H.E. Frédéric Clavier.
A French delegation was in Arusha on to discuss concrete priority areas at the EAC that could be supported by France through the French Development Agency (AFD). The EAC Secretariat initiated discussions with AFD in April 2018 to look into the possibilities of the latter supporting EAC priority projects in different sectors.
The visit by the French delegation was a follow-up to the French Development Agency (AFD) is a public development bank that works under the Ministry of Finance and Foreign Affairs and is fully owned by the French Government.
In April 2018, the Secretary General initiated discussions with the AFD on supporting EAC priority projects in different sectors. The EAC Secretariat presented a number of priority areas for consideration and the meeting agreed on coming up with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between EAC and AFD to support EAC priority areas including feasibility studies and implementation of projects in the sectors of infrastructure and Energy; Support to the regional framework of Public and Private Sector Partnership; Harmonization of standards, and Customs interconnectivity.
The French delegation reiterated commitment to bring the French expertise on board to build high quality system that will interlink with Private Sector Development in the EAC Region.
The French Ambassador was accompanied by the Head of Regional Economic Department for East Africa and the Indian Ocean, Mr Benoit Gauthier, and the AFD Regional Director, Mr. Christian Yoka.
Speaking at the meeting, the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Mfumukeko, expressed his appreciation for the visit by the team AFD, which was a follow-up of his visit to the AFD in April 2018.
On his part, the Head of the French delegation, Frédéric Clavier said that France is very much committed to support the EAC integration as they do for other Regional Economic Communities like ECOWAS.
Amb. Clavier said that France was keen on supporting initiatives that will promote peace, political stability and political integration. He proposed that the cooperation between France and EAC cooperation should focus on resolving challenges such as job creation through Support to the Private Sector. Other areas of interest include the environment, sustainable agriculture, sustainable cities, transport, and water management.
Mr Benoit Gauthier, Head of Regional Economic Department for East Africa and the Indian Ocean, on his part noted that France and Germany are the main investors in the EAC region because of the EAC integrated market. He emphasized the need to remove the Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB) and re-affirmed France’s commitment to supporting the resolution of NTBs.
Mr. Yoka, AFD Regional Director provided a brief on the AFD and its investments, adding that the agency works in 100 countries with 85 offices.
Mr. Yoka disclosed that during the last financial year, AFD invested 10 billion Euro out of which 50% was invested in Africa. The main areas of investment currently are in Energy, Water Manager, Education, and TVET. AFD has invested in the EAC Partner States (at bilateral level) to the tune of 4.5 billion mainly in Kenya with investments of 2.3 billion Euros. These investments are mainly in energy interconnection and water management.
He said that AFD is planning to diversify its operations to include a number of regional projects with the EAC.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 25th November, 2018:An EAC Secretariat delegation has completed a week-long visit to financial institutions in the Republics of Kenya and Rwanda. The objective of the 19 to 23, November 2018 visit, was to engage through consultative meetings with key financial institutions on the implementation of the 50 Million African Women Speak Networking Platform (50MWS) Project.
Leading the Delegation, EAC Director for Social Sectors, Mary Makoffu, noted that the EAC Secretariat had embarked on this engagement with financial institutions at a time when the World is striving to promote financial inclusion, encouraging financial institutions and decision makers to facilitate women access finance the same way men do.
“Women are the pillars of our shaky economies and need to be supported for the interest of the whole society. It is however visible that there are still many more men with access to financial services like loans and bank accounts than women”, added Ms. Makoffu.
Wilson Muyenzi, 50MWS Project Coordinator expounded that on average, only 4.3 per cent of women entrepreneurs have access to loans in Africa. ”
While visiting the Republic of Kenya, Verity Mganga, the Deputy Director, Gender Affairs, Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs in the Republic of Kenya, stressed on the critical role financial institutions have in the implementation of the 50MWS Project.
“I believe that cooperation between the Project and financial institutions is paramount, we must take cognizance of the ability of our financial institutions to promoting financial inclusion”, stated the Deputy Director.
During the Rwanda leg of the visit, the Director of Women Economic Empowerment, Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, Jean Bosco Murangira, saluted the initiative of engaging Financial institutions around the implementation of the 50MWS Project.
“The 50MWS Project is coming to complement the efforts that are already being deployed by the Government of Rwanda in the fight against unemployment”, the Director remarked.
The Republic of Rwanda has embarked on a plan to create 1.5 million jobs by the year 2024, half of which target women and girls. Mr. Murangira noted however that most of the women targeted still lack skills that would enable them utilize the opportunity fully.
“I urge the implementers of the 50 MWS Project to prioritize building the capacity of women entrepreneurs therefore helping fast track the regions goals in the domain of women economic empowerment,” he added.
During the visit, Ministries involved in the implementation of the project in Kenya and Rwanda reaffirmed their commitment and called upon all stakeholders to support the innovative initiative.
Representatives of the Financial Institutions who attended the meetings highlighted that one of the biggest challenges that women entrepreneurs face besides lack of capital is the lack of confidence, right attitude and mindset to succeed in business.
They therefore recommended the Project to include capacity building sessions to supplement women entrepreneurs in their endeavors.
Most of the banks the EAC delegation engaged with said they have already embarked on the financial inclusion path by setting up products that specifically target women. The banks further expressed their comfort in working with women having noted an impressive trend in their loan repayments.
Meetings in the two countries were attended by participants from the financial services sector including commercial banks, Women banks, Government funds, micro finance institutions, cooperative banks, savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs) as well as from the public sector mainly from Ministries of Gender, ICT and EAC Affairs.
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For more information please contact: Achel Bayisenge, Content Manager for the 50MWS Project, EAC Secretariat, Tel: +255 786726230 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 26th November, 2018: The 20th Ordinary Meeting of the Summit of the East African Community Heads of State is set for Friday, 30th November, 2018 at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC) in Arusha, Tanzania.
The 20th Ordinary Meeting of the Summit will be preceded by the 38th Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers, which is running from 25th to 28th November, 2018, also in Arusha, Tanzania.
Among the items on the Provisional Agenda of the 20th Summit of the EAC Heads of State are: the status of ratification of various protocols; the status of resolution of long outstanding non-tariff barriers, and; the progress report on the adoption of Political Confederation as a Transitional Model to the East African Political Federation.
Other items on the Agenda include: the roadmap for the accelerated integration of the Republic of South Sudan into the EAC, and; the verification exercise for the admission of the Republic of Somalia into the Community.
The Summit will also consider reports on modalities for the promotion of Motor Vehicle Assembly in East Africa aimed at reducing importation of used vehicles into the Community, and; the review of the textile and leather sector with a view to developing a strong and competitive domestic sector that gives consumers better choice than imported textile and footwear.
At their 19th Ordinary Meeting held in Kampala, Uganda on 23rd February, 2018, the Summit directed the EAC Council of Ministers to explore the possibilities of developing the automotive industry in East Africa by reducing the importation of used vehicles from outside the region and thereby make the region more competitive.
The Summit, at the same meeting in Kampala, directed the Council to make the region more competitive by prioritising the development of a competitive domestic textile and leather sector that will give East Africans a wider range of choices in terms of affordable, new and quality clothes, shoes and other leather products.
The forthcoming Summit will also review progress report by the Council of Ministers on the Summit Directive on having two (2) Deputy Secretaries General at the Community recruited competitively on a rotational basis among the Partner States.
The Summit at its 19th Ordinary Meeting held in Kampala, decided that there will only be two Deputy Secretaries General at the EAC who shall be recruited competitively on a rotational basis.
The Summit is expected to assent to various Bills passed by the East Legislative Assembly, namely: the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill, 2016; the Administration of the East African Court of Justice Bill, 2018; the EAC Monetary Institute Bill, 2018, and; the EAC Customs Management (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
The Summit will further consider the implementation status of the EAC Customs Union and Common Market Protocols in addition to the current financial status of the Community.
Media Accreditation
All Local (Tanzanian) Journalists intending to cover the 20th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State are alerted that registrationfor accreditation will be done at the Regional Information Office in Arusha, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,. All Foreign Journalists seeking accreditation must register at the EAC Media Centre Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; cc: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
The accreditation process will commence on Wednesday 28th November 2018 at the Arusha International Conference Centre, 5th Floor, Kilimanjaro Wing, from 09.00hrs to 18.00hrs.
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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.
22 November 2018: The Boards of Directors of the African Development Bank Group have approved US$322.35 million loans and grant to Burundi and Tanzania to finance the Rumonge-Gitaza (45 km) and Kabingo-Kasulu-Manyovu (260 km) road upgrading project.
The project aims at strengthening regional integration and trade in the East African Community, particularly between Tanzania and Burundi through improved cross-border transport and is part of the East African roads network linking the Port of Dar es Salaam to the regional markets in Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
To be completed in 2023, the project comprises several phases, including the upgrading from gravel to bitumen standard of Kabingo-Kasulu-Manyovu (260 km) road section in Tanzania and rehabilitation of Rumonge – Gitaza (45 km) paved road section in Burundi. It also involves the construction and operationalization of a One Stop Border Post between Tanzania and Burundi at Manyovu/Mugina Border; Rural/Urban Roads rehabilitation, Health Centres and Schools construction, Community Water Sources, and road safety, institutional support and capacity building of actors involved, including compensation and resettlement of people affected by the project.
The project aligns with the National Development Plans of both Burundi and Tanzania, particularly the respective sectoral policies on transport in both countries. When completed, this multinational road will help open up rural areas, reduce vehicle operating costs, and enhance road safety. In addition, it will improve access to socio-economic and health infrastructure located along roads, particularly in Burundi’s Rumonge province Tanzania’s Kigoma region.
“The project will fundamentally enhance the mobility of goods and services for the people in Burundi and Tanzania”, said Gabriel Negatu Director General of the Bank Group’s East Africa Regional Development & Business Delivery Office. “The improved transport will bring additional benefits for the two neighboring countries, including empowering women and youth for whom new market centers will be opened and other economic activities will increase.”
The project is in line with the objectives of the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2013 - 2022) which focuses on assisting its regional member countries achieve more inclusive and greener growth via the Bank’s High5 priorities including integrating Africa and improving the lives of the people of Africa, The project is also consistent with the Bank’s Country Strategy Papers for both countries, which have infrastructure development as an important pillar. Likewise, the project is one of the priorities in the Bank’s East African Regional Integration Strategy Paper (2018-2022).
Complementary components to benefit local communities along the Project road in addition to the main roads upgrading works were well appreciated by Board members who encouraged packaging such integrated Projects.
For More Information Contact:
Sonia Borrini, Communications Officer, African Development Bank Tel: +225 20 26 55 62; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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, 22nd November, 2018: The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has committed a grant of US$34 million (EUR 30 million) to the East African Community (EAC) to support the regional organisation’s immunization efforts. The EAC Secretary General, Amb. Libérat Mfumukeko, and the Deputy Ambassador of Germany to the EAC, Mr. Jörg Herrera, jointly signed the according Government Agreement in Dar es Salaam today.
With the additional grant, Germany will be financing the procurement of vaccines for children in the EAC against various diseases including measles, rotavirus, pneumococcus, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and yellow fever. The programme will be financed through KfW, the German Development Bank and implemented in collaboration with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The cooperation aims at reducing child mortality in the region and mainly targets newborns.
This new commitment will bring Germany`s contribution to EAC’s regional immunization programmes to approximately US$170 million (EURO 150 million) since 2012. To date, German Development Cooperation with the EAC has financed over 60 million doses of life-saving vaccines for the region and the average immunization coverage in the region was substantially increased, making the EAC’s immunization programmes the strongest in Sub-Sahara Africa.
"Germany is a committed partner to the East African regional integration process. We are proud that our cooperation with the EAC and the Gavi Alliance is contributing greatly to improve child health in the region,” said Amb. Herrera.
Amb. Herrera further said that vaccinations were a highly effective and cost effective means to fight child mortality, adding that particularly focus needs to be put on children from poor families as they often lack sufficient access to quality health care.
Mr Herrera also commended the EAC for its comprehensive approach to address priority health issues in the EAC region such as the control and prevention of infectious diseases, and pandemics and mother and child health.
EAC and Germany celebrated their 20th anniversary of development cooperation last month after holding successful Government Negotiations at the EAC Headquarters. Health is one of the two focal areas of the two sides, the other being Regional Economic and Social Integration.
Germany development cooperation, through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), has to date contributed to regional integration in East Africa through a variety of programmes and projects in these areas. With the new commitments signed today, Germany's funding for Technical and Financial Cooperation with the EAC amounts to over US$350 million.
The Secretary General was accompanied by the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge, Chef de Cabinet, Dr. James Njagu, and the Principal Legal Officer, Mr. Michel Ndayikengurukiye. From the German Embassy’s side, the Head of Regional Cooperation, Ms Norzin Grigoleit-Dagyab, and Political Officer Pamela Kanora were present as well as Ms Annika Calov, KfW Country Director to Tanzania and the EAC, and Pascal Kanyinyi, KfW’s Senior Project Coordinator Health.
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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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 22th November, 2018: The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, received credentials from the Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E Ambassador Shinichi Goto, who has also been accredited to the EAC.
In the Ambassador’s accreditation letter dated 10th October, 2018, and addressed to the Secretary General, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Tano Kono, appoints Amb. Shinichi Goto as the Japanese representative to the EAC.
During their discussion, the Secretary General briefed Amb. Goto on the current achievements on the pillars of the regional integration and development process. He said the Community had expanded tremendously within a short spell of time,a development which has necessitated the Community to review its institutional set-up.
Amb. Mfumukeko further informed the Japanese envoy on the status of the Tripartite agreement between EAC, COMESA and SADC. They also discussed potential areas for collaboration between Japan and the EAC on trade and investment.
In his remarks, Amb. Goto hailed the Secretary General for the good work in deepening the regional integration agenda. He said achieving the Customs Union, Common Market and a Monetary Union within such a short time for the Community was commendable.
Also present at the accreditation ceremony were the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Eng. Steven Mlote.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
In order to support promotion of the Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi sector of the regional economy, the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Partner States and Confederation of Informal Sector Organization East Africa (CISO-EA) has organized the annual exhibition since 1999. The exhibitions have proved to be strategic avenues for promoting the Small and Micro Enterprises sector’s products, transfer of technologies, and promotion of the regional integration process.
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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.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, 20th November, 2018: The 19th edition of the annual East African Community Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi Exhibition is set for 2nd to 10th December, 2018 at the Eldoret Sports Club in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The theme of the Exhibition is Buy Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises (MSEs) Products, Build East Africa.
The EAC has been undertaking SMEs Development through the East Africa Jua Kali/ Nguvu Kazi exhibition. The exhibition is an annual event that exposes the products manufactured in the region. Organized jointly on a rotational basis by the EAC Secretariat, the East African Confederation of Informal Sector Organisation (EACISO) in collaboration with EAC Partner States, the event brings together artisans from the six (6) EAC Partner States comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
The first exhibition was held in Arusha in November 1999 during the historic signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC. Subsequent to the success of the Arusha exhibition, the EAC Heads of State directed that the Exhibition be held annually, on a rotational basis amongst the Partner States so as to enhance economic integration in East Africa.
Marking 19 years to date, the annual exhibition brings together artisans from the East African region for purposes of opening up new market frontiers for their products while bridging the knowledge and technological gaps between them.
According to the Director General Customs and Trade at the EAC Secretariat, Mr. Kenneth Bagamuhunda, the theme portrays the role MSEs are expected to play in the growth and development of the region’s economies. Mr. Bagamuhunda disclosed that so far 1,100 artisans have registered and confirmed their participation at the event.
The 19th EAC Jua Kali/Nguvu Exhibition will be officially opened on 4th December, 2018.
To participate in the Exhibition, exhibitors from Partner States (Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan) are required to register with their respective Confederation of Informal Sector Organizations and Ministries of Trade and Industry, while those in Kenya should register with the Small and Medium Enterprises Authority.
During the Exhibition daily symposia will be conducted to build the capacity of the artisans on integration matters as follows:
S/N
Topic
Presenter/ Facilitator
Day
1
Cross Border Trade, Simplified Trade Regime and dealing with NTBs
Republic of Kenya
3rd December, 2018
2
Products value addition
United Republic of Tanzania
5th December, 2018
3
Standards, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Testing (SQMT)
Republic of Rwanda
6th December, 2018
4
Benefits and opportunities from the EAC Integration to SMEs
Republic of Uganda
7th December, 2018
5
EAC Rules of Origin
Republic of Burundi
8th December, 2018
6
MSMES development and opportunities in the Republic of South Sudan
Republic of South Sudan
9th December, 2018
NOTES TO EDITORS:
In order to support promotion of the Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi sector of the regional economy, the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Partner States and Confederation of Informal Sector Organization East Africa (CISO-EA) has organized the annual exhibition since 1999. The exhibitions have proved to be strategic avenues for promoting the Small and Micro Enterprises sector’s products, transfer of technologies, and promotion of the regional integration process.
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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.
