10/03/2007
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FOURTEENTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY
By Leo Odera Omolo
The fourteenth Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the East African Community
was held in Arusha on 27 September 2007.
The Meeting was attended by the 1st Deputy Prime Minister
of East African Community Affairs, Republic of Uganda, and Chairperson
of the Council of Ministers of the East African Community, Rt. Hon. Eriya
Kategaya; the Minister for East African Co-operation, The
United Republic of Tanzania , Hon. Dr. Ibrahim Msabaha; the
Minister of Regional Integration, Republic of Burundi, Hon. Karenga Ramadhani;
the Minister of Health, Republic of Rwanda, Hon. Dr. Ntawukuliryayo
Jean Damascene; the Assistant Minister of East African Community, Kenya,
Hon. Dr. Boni Khalwale; and other Ministers of the EAC Partner States.
The Council received and considered the following reports: Report on the
Implementation of Previous Decisions of the Council; Report of the Office
of the Secretary General; Report on Sectoral Projects and Programmes; Report
on Political Affairs; Report of the Activities of Other Organs of the Community;
Report on the Activities of EAC Institutions; and Special Reports.
EAC Bills
The Council discussed the following Bills that are due to be tabled in the
East African Legislative Assembly and referred the Bills to the EAC Sectoral
Council for Legal and Judicial Affairs for legal input: Bill
for an Act entitled the East African Science and Technology Commission Act
2007; Bill for an Act entitled the East African Civil Aviation Safety and
Security Oversight Agency Act 2007; Bill for an Act entitled the East
African Kiswahili Commission Act 2007; and Bill for an Act entitled
the East African Health Research Commission Act 2007,
Establishment of EAC Institutions
The Council considered a Report of the Secretariat on the procedure for the
establishment (by the Summit of Heads of State) of EAC Institutions, drawing
best practices obtaining in other jurisdictions on the admission of private
entities. To this extent, the Secretariat had researched on the UN,
AU, COMESA and ECOWAS practice and prepared a draft procedure for consideration
by the Council. The Council referred the draft proposal to the Partner States
for comments which they should submit to the Secretariat by November 2007.
Review of EAC Logo, Flag and Colours
The Council considered a Proposal for a Review of the East African Community
Logo, Colours and Flag, in view of the expanded membership of the Community
following the admission of Rwanda and
Burundi and directed the Secretariat
to expedite the process of the redesign of the EAC Logo and EAC Flag in order
to accommodate the new Partner States.
EAC Re-Branding Project
The Council reviewed a Progress Report of the EAC Re-Branding Project (EAC
Marketing and Publicity Strategy) which incorporates the proposed establishment
of the EAC Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs. The
Council commended the Secretariat for the activities
undertaken in the implementation of the Council Decision of 29th
November 2006 on the EAC Re-Branding Project which will be implemented under
the EAC Partnership Fund. To this extent, the Council referred the EAC Re-Branding
Project to the EAC Finance and Administrative Committee to consider and
make recommendations on the operationalization of the EAC Re-Branding Project.
In related decision, the Council commended the Secretariat
for activities undertaken since January this year in marketing and promotion
of the East African Community.
EA Monetary Union
The Council reviewed progress towards the establishment of the East African
Monetary Union, and also considered the Final draft Report of the Consultants
on the
Study on the Establishment of an East African Community Common Market
which has been completed after a comprehensive consultative process. The
Council adopted the final report of the Study and tasked a High Level Task
Force (HLTF) to handle technical negotiations of all aspects of the Common
Market Protocol as specified in Article 76 of the Treaty for the Establishment
of the East African Community,
Transport and Communications
The Council of Ministers reviewed a report of the
4th Meeting of the Transport, Communications and Meteorology Sectoral
Council which was held on June 4th to 7th 2007 and
noted/endorsed the Sectoral Council’s recommendations, among others as follows:
On the roads sub-sector
:
Considered and approved the budget of USD 165,634 for the preparation and
hosting of the 3rd EAC /development partners Consultative Meeting;
Approved the draft schedule and the draft documents that have been developed
in preparation for the 3rd Consultative Meeting; and Decided
that the 3rd Consultative Meeting be held in May 2008;
On the East African Road Transport Development Strategy
, approved the draft Terms of Reference; and directed the Secretariat to
expedite the implementation of the 10 years EAC Roads’ Development Strategy
Study to enable its findings be discussed at the 3rd EAC/Development
Partners Consultative Meeting scheduled for May 2008. (ADB has approved
the draft ToRs and given the no objection to commence the procurement process
for the Study Consultants. The Study is planned to take off before the end
of this year). Recommended that the launch of the construction for the
Arusha - Namanga - Athi River
Road be jointly done by the Heads of States of
Tanzania and Kenya when the Contractors
have substantially mobilized and taken possession of the sites. (
Kenya has received the no objection for negotiations and award for
the works contractors and supervision consultants.
Tanzania has received the no objection for negotiation and award for
the supervision consultants, but awaits the no objection for the works contractors.
The Secretariat on its part is finalising the recruitment of two civil engineers
to support the two countries in the execution of works on the road projects).
On the Railways Sub Sector
; C
onsidered the progress of the Railways Concessioning, and the implementation
of the EAC Railways Development Master Plan and directed the Secretariat
to expedite the procurement process for the consultant to enable the Railways
Development Master Plan be finalized within the contracted timeframe. (Contract
already signed and Study commenced); liaise with the Infrastructure Consortium
for Africa Secretariat with a view to
ensuring that the draft Interim Report of the EAC Railways Master Plan Study
is presented during the Transport Conference scheduled to take place in
Tunis in December 2007; andurged the Republics of
Rwanda and Burundi to avail relevant
information to the Master Plan Study Consultants, including among others,
policy documents and business cases.
The Council approved the following additional railway sections for consideration
by the consultants in the Master Plan Study.
(i) Kasese - Kisangani
(ii) Gulu - Nimule - Juba
(iii) Lamu - Garissa
- Juba
(iv) Garissa -
Addis Ababa
(v) Liganga - Mchuchuma - Mtwara
(vi) Mchuchuma - Mbambay
(vii) Liganga -Mlimba
(viii) Dar es Salaam - Mtwara
(ix) Branch from Isaka - Kigali
(x) Branch from Isaka - Kigali to Biharamulo - Bukoba
- Masaka
(xi) Tunduma - Sumbawanga - Mpanda - Kigoma
(xii) Uvinza - Bujumbura
(xiii) Bagamoyo Port - Kidomole
(xiv) Pakwach - Juba - Wau (Uganda/Sudan);
On the Civil Aviation Sub Sector
:
considered the progress of the EAC Civil Aviation Safety Project, the
progress in the promulgation of the revised Civil Aviation (Safety) Regulations,
the development of the technical guidance materials for the implementation
of the revised regulations, the establishment of the East African Civil Aviation
Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA), the implementation of the
studies in the sub sector including the Global Navigation Satellite System
and the Unified Upper Flight Information Region and the repayment of the
European Investment Bank Loan.
In among other decisions, the Council decided that the Secretariat undertakes
an assessment mission for the facilities and logistical arrangements by
Uganda for hosting the CASSOA.
(Uganda is in the final process
of concluding the arrangements for hosting CASSOA after which it will formally
invite the assessment mission from the Secretariat
) ;
decided that the promulgated Civil Aviation Safety Regulations are formally
launched for application in the region with full compliance achieved by 31
st January 2008. (Partner States ( Kenya
, Uganda and
Tanzania with the assistance of CASSOA are finalising arrangements
for compliance with this directive. Arrangements are on to assist
Burundi and Rwanda to revise their
regulations in line with those already approved for other EAC Partner States
);decided that
the upgrading of the facilities at the Karume Airport - Pemba be prioritised
for implementation within the development of a coastal tourism circuit in
the region and appreciated the support of ADB in this regard. (The Bank has
in principle agreed to consider the proposal subject to a formal request
from the Ministry of Finance of Tanzania
under ADF 10 Resources).
In the Maritime Sub Sector
,
considered the progress on the finalisation of the Lake Victoria Transport
Bill and the recommendations of the first meeting of the Heads of EAC Port
Authorities; directed the Secretariat to ensure that the Projects and Programmes
being co-ordinated by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission with Infrastructure
components be reported on at the Sectoral Council on Transport, Communications
and Meteorology; and
directed the Secretariat to include Lake Tanganyika in the regional projects
on hydrographic surveys and charting.
On the Communications Sub Sector
;
urged the Partner States to
expedite the development of EASSy project , taking into account the understandings
reached by June 2007; support
backhaul initiatives; and
fully participate at the planned meeting of 23 countries
on the matter of the Broadband Networks scheduled to take place in June 2007
in Malawi; took note of the ITU assistance
in developing the Implementation Framework for the East African Communications
Broadband ICT Network; directed the Secretariat to follow up on the ITU support
and finalise the Framework by March 2008
; took note of the interest of
Tanzania to host the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre;
directed the Secretariat to convene a joint meeting of legal, communications,
meteorology experts scheduled for 27 October 2007 to consider the revised
Draft MoU.
On the Meteorology Sub Sector
,
directed the Secretariat to expedite the execution of the Meteorological
`Study on enhancing capacities of the Meteorological Services in support
of sustainable development in the EAC Region and to seek further funding
for the other priority projects of the sub sector.
(Study consultants have been contracted and Study has commenced.
Secretariat following on possible funding for the other projects
); approved that the Secretariat in collaboration with the Heads
of Meteorological Services engage with a view to hosting the Organization’s
Data Centre in the region and seeking assistance in capacity building on
the use of the data.; and
directed that the draft MoU on cooperation in Meteorological Services be
considered at the fifth meeting of the Sectoral Council on Transport, Communications
and Meteorology.
End
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