Year 2012: EAC gets new home and first woman Speaker

BabuK · 2013-01-06T20:58:16+00:00

The year 2012 witnessed a number of delays in the East African Community integration process, including implementation of the monetary union which was pushed to November 2013. Other significant achievements were however in abundance. EAC gets own permanent home 2012 will remain memorable for the East African Community (EAC) as it is the year the regional bloc moved to its permanent home after years of renting expensively at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC). The EAC headquarters has a complex covering an area of 15,025 square meters, made up of three wings of four storey blocks each. The construction project was commissioned by the EAC Heads of State on 20 November 2009, and actual construction work began on 28 January 2010. The project was fully funded by the Federal Republic of Germany to the tune of 14.8 million euros. Margret Zziwa Nantongos election She was elected East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Speaker after beating Dora Byamukama, another Ugandan legislator. Zziwa, who was shortly after election sworn in by Kenneth Madete, clerk of the assembly, obtained 33 votes in the second round of voting. Byamukama (40) got 12 votes in the second round, down from 18 votes she got in the first round. The Ugandan legislator succeeded Kenyas Abdulahin H. Abdi who had headed the Assembly for five years, succeeding Abdulrahman Kinana from Tanzania. During the first session of the third EALA sitting in Nairobi, Zziwa acknowledged that despite the implementation of the first pillars of integration the Customs Union and the Common Market, a number of challenges in implementation continue to be felt, citing the bottlenecks faced in doing business including several Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and the slow-uptake of the agenda of the EAC in the national policy networks. National Assemblies agree to establish specific committees to deal with matters of regional integration At a meeting of the EAC Speakers Bureau held in Kigali in May 2012, all National Assemblies in the region agreed to establish specific committees dealing with matters of regional integration or assign some desirable amount of time towards discussing the same to existing committees in their respective Parliaments. This shall see the National Assemblies deliberate more keenly and pronounce themselves on matters of integration. Arusha-Namanga-Athi River Road commissioned The Heads of the EAC Partner States in November 2012 commissioned the rehabilitated Arusha-Namanga-Athi River Road in Athi River town in Kenya. Admission of S Sudan, Somalia South Sudan and Somalia hopes of outright admission into the regional bloc was dashed after the Heads of State for the second time extended their decision on the two countries applications. The Heads of State meeting in Nairobi in November 2012 directed the Council of Ministers to conduct more negotiations with the newly independent S. Sudan, while taking into consideration the findings in the verification committee's report for Somalia. This was the second time the two countries applications had been deferred; the first one having been in April 2012 during the regional leaders meeting in Bujumbura. Still at the Heads of State Summit in Nairobi, the presidents approved the different protocols, including the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security, and Protocol on information, communications and technology networks. Easing the flow of goods The community saw the introduction of the Transport Observatory Project that was established to monitor the movement of trucks carrying cargos within the region using electronic devices to detect the causes of delays on the corridor. Launched in Mombasa, the programme is being funded by TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) and is spearheaded by the Transit Transport Coordination Authority (TTCA) of the Northern Corridor (TTCA) and the Kenya Transport Association. Under the project, trucks are fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) devices which record time data whenever the truck is stopped on the way. With this system, drivers are also given forms where they write reasons why they stopped. 2012 also saw Rwanda under the ministry in charge of East African Community affairs unveil the national policy on the integration process that will enable it pursue a well coordinated strategy in the region. The policy outline focuses on five strategic areas including mainstreaming regional integration into Rwandas development, engaging EAC institutions, mitigation and safeguard measures that will focus on reducing negative implications of the integration process for Rwanda. The policy oversees other areas like follow-up on EAC decisions and obligations, and institutional framework that will coordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementation of EAC commitments in Rwanda. Rwanda becomes the first country to initiate such a strategy among all partners in the region. EAC Affairs Minister Monique Mukaruliza explained that the region continues to encounter implementation challenges, observing that it was imperative for such plans to be initiated. New EAC Deputy Secretary General - Jessica Eriyo She replaced Beatrice Kiraso formerly EAC Deputy Secretary General (Political Federation) whose two-year mandate had expired. Eriyos appointment was confirmed at the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the East African Heads of State at Arusha in Tanzania on April 28, 2012. Also during the 10th Extraordinary Heads of state summit, the contract of Jean-Claude Nsengiyumva (Deputy Secretary General Productive and Social Sectors) contract was renewed. EAC Youth Ambassadors In 2012 the EAC with the support of the EAC Nyerere Centre for Peace Research (NCPR) and GIZ came up with the concept of youth ambassadors. The five EAC Youth Ambassadors (from each of the five EAC partner states) were nominated after they emerged as best debaters during the 1st EAC University Students Debate on Regional Integration. Museveni assumes Chairmanship of EAC Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in December took over the chairmanship of the regional body for one year; during the 14th Ordinary Summit of the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State that took place in Nairobi. The summit was held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, where the EAC leaders witnessed the signing of the letter of intent of promoting trade relations between the EAC and the United States. President Museveni commended his Kenyan counterpart, President Mwai Kibaki, for shepherding the regional bloc for the past one year. President Kibaki noted that the most notable achievements of the East African Community were the establishment of the Customs Union and the Common Market. SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY

Thread starter BabuK
Start date Jan 6, 2013

BabuK

JamiiForums uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.

Accept Learn more…

Back

Top Bottom

Forums

New posts

Year 2012: EAC gets new home and first woman Speaker

BabuK

JF-Expert Member

Our Community

Regional Communities