Fourteen years after the treaty for the establishment of the East African Community sailed in Arusha, the EAC is suddenly at crossroads and hasty efforts are now being taken to save the regional body.
As reports regarding what is feared to be yet another ‘break-up’ of the East African Community continue to thrive around the region, but especially in local media outlets, the Arusha-based EAC Secretariat has released an official statement allaying fears of separation triggered by the recent Kenya-Uganda-Rwanda triumvirate that cut-off Tanzania and Burundi.
The EAC Secretary General, Dr Richard Sezibera stated here that he has already consulted the five Partner States regarding this state of affairs and that all concerns will be addresses by the East African Council of Ministers meeting later this month adding that the ultimate stand will be declared by the Heads-of-States summit at the end of this November.
“On the side-lines of the 19th Sectoral Council of Ministers Responsible for East African Community Affairs, the Ministers in the spirit of consolidating and strengthening East African Integration have exchanged on progress occasioned by the challenges that have arisen,” said Dr Sezibera admitting that both the Republic of Burundi and the United Republic of Tanzania have made public their concerns regarding the meetings held by Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda during a number of meetings at Heads of State level.
“There have also been persistent press reports including misrepresentations on the matter but East Africans are urged not to be unduly alarmed because the challenges are being addressed and will be further considered by the Council of Ministers at its 28th Meeting scheduled for 28th November 2013 and make recommendations to the Summit,’’ maintained Dr Sezibera.
And as far as the Secretary General is concerned, the EAC Partner States are still committed to implement the protocols on the Common Market and the Customs Union, and in particular laying the requisite infrastructure, and removal of barriers to the free movement of goods, services and people.
However, the signing of the Single Customs Territory in Kigali by Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda, left out Tanzania and Burundi.
Tanzania recently spoke against the move by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda to sign tripartite agreements secluding it and Burundi, to the extent that Dar started mulling own closer ties with the other EAC Burundi, and the mineral rich Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
President Jakaya Kikwete (left) and Kenyan President
Uhuru Kenyatta when they met over the weekend
in South Africa during the SADC Conference.
Dar, apparently, isn’t about to be the loser either, because Tanzania occupies more than 52 Per-cent of the total area covered by the five EAC Member states of Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Burundi .
The minister for East African Co-operation, Mr Samuel Sitta stated that Tanzania will not recognize any EAC agreements made by other member states in its absence, reinforcing that there are clear signals that the country is being side-lined alongside Burundi.
At the moment Tanzania is keen to develop the railway line project that will connect Uvinza in Kigoma along the shores of Lake Tanganyika to Msongati in the DRC. The minister added that, Tanzania-Burundi closeness will come in handy and cost-effective for Bujumbura’s business community members, because Dar es Salaam port, is much closer to the land-locked country compared to Mombasa harbour of Kenya being used by its neighbour cutting down the distance by 900 kilometres. source Arusha Times
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