Fri, 8 Feb 2008 06:08:03


KISUMU
9TH FEBRUARY, 2008

SECRETARY GENERAL HOLDS TALKS WITH JAPAN BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

EAC Headquarters, Arusha, 6 February 2007 - The Secretary General of the East African Community, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu held a meeting with the Advisor for Country Economic Analysis Department, Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC), Mr Chad Leechor, and the JBIC’s Economist (South Asia & Sub-Sahara Africa) Country Economic Analysis Department, Mr Kei Saito who called on him at his office in Arusha on 4 February 2008.

The Secretary General was accompanied during the meeting by the Deputy Secretary General (Finance and Administration) of the EAC, Amb Julius Onen, and the EAC Director of Customs, Mr Kenneth Bagamuhunda. The discussions centred on EAC-Japan cooperation in the development of regional infrastructure and other key projects and programmes in the EAC countries.

JBIC to promote regional investments and trade

Mr Chad Leechor said the JBIC anticipates a sharp increase in Japan’s support to the development of infrastructure in the EAC countries. He commended the intensification of the East African regional integration process and the recent enlargement of the EAC with the admission of Rwanda and Burundi. He said these developments raised great prospects for expansion of Japan’s investments and trade with the region.

Secretary General outlines major investment plans for Lake Victoria development

The Secretary General of the EAC, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu briefed the JBIC delegation on the EAC Development Strategy (2006-2010) which puts a high priority on infrastructure development. He said substantial regional projects and programmes were at various stages of implementation in roads, railways, energy and telecommunications development among other development projects which would interest the foreign investors.

The Secretary General said new emphasis was placed on lake transport, noting that the private sector was encouraged to invest in marine freight and passenger services, which are in high demand. Emphasis was also placed on investments covering ports upgrading at Bukoba, Port Bell, Kisumu, and Mwanza on Lake Victoria and the ports of Kigoma and Bujumbura on Lake Tanganyika.

      DIRECTORATE OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND  PUBLIC AFFAIRS
        EAC SECRETARIAT
        ARUSHA