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- Aug 2, 2010
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TOP officials of the East African Community will be meeting in the coming weeks to set the blocs agenda for the next two decades, and review the growing investment interests in the region.
The meeting is slated for March 17-18 will take place at the Arusha International Conference Centre {AICC}.This will be the second meeting of its kind where the scholars and researchers, civil society, business community and development partners will meet to explore Vision 2020 for the East African Community.
The symposium is now an annual event in the EAC blocs calendar. And the outgoing Secretary General of the EAC Ambassador Juma V Mwapachu told the newsmen earlier this week that the officials will be drawn from the experiences of other economic blocs to set the agenda.
The symposium is expected to articulate the broad features, set scenarios, propose benchmarks and a critical path towards deepening East African integration, It will also propose follow up measures to cause wide awareness and participation in EAC integration and development, Mwapachu said.
The Secretary Generals five years terms come to an end next month, and the five member states of the EAC, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi will have to make an appointment for the next chief executive of the community.
The Arusha meeting comes in the background of growing interest in EAC integration from investors, governments and development partners.
European countries previously expressed misgiving at the rapid pace of EACs integration, but have now started establishing diplomatic ties with Arusha. The European Commission, Turkey, the Netherlands and Denmark have posted representatives while others have started negotiating. These latest development are turning the northern Tanzanian City into a diplomatic zone.
Soren Pind, the Danish Minister for International Cooperation, was quoted recently as saying, These countries share a common trading interest and have shown strong political will to move the integration agenda forward.
Within ten years, the EAC has launched both the Customs Union and the Common Market and is in the process of setting the stage for the roll-out the Monetary Union, ultimately, political federation in 2015, It took the EU close to 40 years to established a Customs Union, which the EAC did in five years.
Meanwhile Kenya has come up with a new plan to push through the reforms needed in EAC integration.
The plan, contain in a Rapid Result Initiative launched recently consists of five key points that could market the country as EACs most attractive investment destination.
Kenya has also launched a fresh program to enhance awareness among its citizens of the opportunities that come with integration. The first phase of the implementation which began on February 24, will be conducted over 100 days. Officials from the Ministry of East African Community Affairs will visit 24 counties our of the 47 countrywide selected randomly across the country to familiarize local people with the integration process
We have come to realize that most Kenyans know little about the EAC, its benefits and the business opportunities they can exploit in the region. This strategy will help us create awareness. said the Permanent Secretary the EAC Ministry Affairs David Nalo.
Kenyas export of professional services to other East African states is expected to increase by large margins, under the Common Market, which came into force in July last year, the World Bank notes.
Sharper market intelligence and improved networking should help Kenya ride on the wave of increased demand for professional services in the 127-million-people economy and a combined GDP of USD 73 billion that is also tipped to attract foreign investors.
The meeting is slated for March 17-18 will take place at the Arusha International Conference Centre {AICC}.This will be the second meeting of its kind where the scholars and researchers, civil society, business community and development partners will meet to explore Vision 2020 for the East African Community.
The symposium is now an annual event in the EAC blocs calendar. And the outgoing Secretary General of the EAC Ambassador Juma V Mwapachu told the newsmen earlier this week that the officials will be drawn from the experiences of other economic blocs to set the agenda.
The symposium is expected to articulate the broad features, set scenarios, propose benchmarks and a critical path towards deepening East African integration, It will also propose follow up measures to cause wide awareness and participation in EAC integration and development, Mwapachu said.
The Secretary Generals five years terms come to an end next month, and the five member states of the EAC, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi will have to make an appointment for the next chief executive of the community.
The Arusha meeting comes in the background of growing interest in EAC integration from investors, governments and development partners.
European countries previously expressed misgiving at the rapid pace of EACs integration, but have now started establishing diplomatic ties with Arusha. The European Commission, Turkey, the Netherlands and Denmark have posted representatives while others have started negotiating. These latest development are turning the northern Tanzanian City into a diplomatic zone.
Soren Pind, the Danish Minister for International Cooperation, was quoted recently as saying, These countries share a common trading interest and have shown strong political will to move the integration agenda forward.
Within ten years, the EAC has launched both the Customs Union and the Common Market and is in the process of setting the stage for the roll-out the Monetary Union, ultimately, political federation in 2015, It took the EU close to 40 years to established a Customs Union, which the EAC did in five years.
Meanwhile Kenya has come up with a new plan to push through the reforms needed in EAC integration.
The plan, contain in a Rapid Result Initiative launched recently consists of five key points that could market the country as EACs most attractive investment destination.
Kenya has also launched a fresh program to enhance awareness among its citizens of the opportunities that come with integration. The first phase of the implementation which began on February 24, will be conducted over 100 days. Officials from the Ministry of East African Community Affairs will visit 24 counties our of the 47 countrywide selected randomly across the country to familiarize local people with the integration process
We have come to realize that most Kenyans know little about the EAC, its benefits and the business opportunities they can exploit in the region. This strategy will help us create awareness. said the Permanent Secretary the EAC Ministry Affairs David Nalo.
Kenyas export of professional services to other East African states is expected to increase by large margins, under the Common Market, which came into force in July last year, the World Bank notes.
Sharper market intelligence and improved networking should help Kenya ride on the wave of increased demand for professional services in the 127-million-people economy and a combined GDP of USD 73 billion that is also tipped to attract foreign investors.
