Ngongo
Platinum Member
- Sep 20, 2008
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A clear rift emerged within the East African Community last week after Burundi said it would no longer be party to the "coalition of the willing" that has left Tanzania out of key infrastructure projects in the region.
The apparent falling out follows two key meetings of regional Heads of State from which Tanzania was excluded.
In the first, in Kampala in June, Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya agreed to fast-track major infrastructure projects across the three countries, including an oil pipeline, an oil refinery and a standard-gauge railway.
The three presidents met again in Mombasa in August, and agreed to forge ahead with the infrastructure projects as well as fast-track the East African Political Federation. Burundi and South Sudan were represented at the Mombasa meeting.
Now, only a week after Tanzania said it would neither recognise any decisions made by the coalition (of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda) nor support projects from which it was excluded, Burundi government spokesman Philippe Nzobonariba said his country would not take part in EAC projects spearheaded by only three member states.
READ: Tanzania's anger over isolation by neighbours
Burundi's Minister for EAC Affairs, Leontine Nzeyimana, too said her country was against any EAC decision taken in the absence of Tanzania and Burundi. "But I hope all these issues will be tabled during the Heads of State Summit in November and resolved amicably," Ms Nzeyimana added.
Mid last month, Tanzania and Burundi raised the issue at the 27th Council of Ministers' meeting in Arusha. According to the EAC Council of Ministers' report of the meeting, the two Partner States wanted to know the implication of the move and whether they were now excluded from the activities of the Community.
According to a communiqué from the Mombasa meeting, Burundi and South Sudan were to be incorporated in the construction of the joint railway lines, which would cut transport costs on the Northern Corridor.
Although Bujumbura has not divulged the reasons for its sudden U-turn, an official said Burundi feared it would be reduced to rubber stamping coalition decisions.
"Bujumbura's change of mind is an afterthought. It failed to understand why it was invited at the second meeting and not the first conference in Uganda. What was the original idea and motive of the coalition of the willing? These are the issues that led Burundi to hesitate," the official said.
Burundi is also said to have realised it could not keep up with the speed of the new coalition's partners and was instead comfortable with Tanzania's pace.
Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda have been accused of isolating Burundi and Tanzania in some integration agendas.
READ: Tanzania, Burundi demand response to isolation claims
Nairobi, Kigali, and Kampala have defended themselves, citing the principle of variable geometry provided for by Article 7(e) of the EAC Treaty. The principle allows for co-operation among a sub-group of members in a larger integration scheme in a variety of areas and at different speeds.
As to why Tanzania has been hesitant to press ahead on full integration, its EAC Deputy Minister Dr Abdullah Saddalla said the country was listening its people as per current EAC integration philosophy of people-centred and not leader-focused integration.
Source EAST AFRICA
The apparent falling out follows two key meetings of regional Heads of State from which Tanzania was excluded.
In the first, in Kampala in June, Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya agreed to fast-track major infrastructure projects across the three countries, including an oil pipeline, an oil refinery and a standard-gauge railway.
The three presidents met again in Mombasa in August, and agreed to forge ahead with the infrastructure projects as well as fast-track the East African Political Federation. Burundi and South Sudan were represented at the Mombasa meeting.
Now, only a week after Tanzania said it would neither recognise any decisions made by the coalition (of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda) nor support projects from which it was excluded, Burundi government spokesman Philippe Nzobonariba said his country would not take part in EAC projects spearheaded by only three member states.
READ: Tanzania's anger over isolation by neighbours
Burundi's Minister for EAC Affairs, Leontine Nzeyimana, too said her country was against any EAC decision taken in the absence of Tanzania and Burundi. "But I hope all these issues will be tabled during the Heads of State Summit in November and resolved amicably," Ms Nzeyimana added.
Mid last month, Tanzania and Burundi raised the issue at the 27th Council of Ministers' meeting in Arusha. According to the EAC Council of Ministers' report of the meeting, the two Partner States wanted to know the implication of the move and whether they were now excluded from the activities of the Community.
According to a communiqué from the Mombasa meeting, Burundi and South Sudan were to be incorporated in the construction of the joint railway lines, which would cut transport costs on the Northern Corridor.
Although Bujumbura has not divulged the reasons for its sudden U-turn, an official said Burundi feared it would be reduced to rubber stamping coalition decisions.
"Bujumbura's change of mind is an afterthought. It failed to understand why it was invited at the second meeting and not the first conference in Uganda. What was the original idea and motive of the coalition of the willing? These are the issues that led Burundi to hesitate," the official said.
Burundi is also said to have realised it could not keep up with the speed of the new coalition's partners and was instead comfortable with Tanzania's pace.
Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda have been accused of isolating Burundi and Tanzania in some integration agendas.
READ: Tanzania, Burundi demand response to isolation claims
Nairobi, Kigali, and Kampala have defended themselves, citing the principle of variable geometry provided for by Article 7(e) of the EAC Treaty. The principle allows for co-operation among a sub-group of members in a larger integration scheme in a variety of areas and at different speeds.
As to why Tanzania has been hesitant to press ahead on full integration, its EAC Deputy Minister Dr Abdullah Saddalla said the country was listening its people as per current EAC integration philosophy of people-centred and not leader-focused integration.
Source EAST AFRICA
