East African Cooperation

What Africa Needs

2012-01-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

What Africa Needs

by Apolo Ndyabahika

Originally posted in http://projectdiaspora.org/2010/05/25/what-africa-needs/
May 25, 2010

Last year I engaged in a very interesting e-mail discussion with friends from around the world. It all started with CNBC’s show “Dollars & Danger: Africa, The Final Investing Frontier”

The show could have used some work with the way it was edited and as an African I wanted to see my continent portrayed in a better fashion. The sad fact is that while Africa is a continent filled resources galore from our vast mineral wealth to fertile soils and warm hearted people, we find ourselves relegated to a third world status – with many of the poorest countries in the world. So we ask ourselves, “Why does Africa appear to have missed out on developing?” and “What will it take for us to ‘catch up’ with the rest of the world?”

After a long discourse it boiled down to two main items, a good education for all and effective policy that works.

The fact that 45% of Africa’s sub Sahara population is under 15 years old must raise a red flag in ones mind. Imagine what Africa could be if the next generation of Africa is educated in a new way; one in which a new breed of problem solving Africans is created, with tools needed to think critically and meet our problems head on with home grown solutions. This could be and should be our new future!

There is an old British saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. Likewise, we need to start with a clean slate, with the young pure and unadulterated minds of our three to six year olds. Educators and scientists tell us that our character is formed at a very early age; by the time one is six or seven their temperament is set. That’s why we need to start early. We all know how innately curious young two and three years olds are, engineering educators say that we “beat” the engineering out of our children when we fail to satiate their curiosity and teach them how to channel it constructively. A paradigm shift in our approach to education is called for, one in which our children’s minds will continuously be challenged to come up with creative solutions to problems with real life applications. Whatever is learned or dreamed up needs to be proved not only theoretically but also practically in the “real” world.

The East African Community (Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) has entered into a partnership with the nonprofit OLPC (One Laptop Per Child), they plan to equip each primary school student in East Africa with a laptop by 2015! The estimated number for computers for this is 30 million and at $250 each the cost for this will be around 7.5 billion USD. This is a bold initiative by the East African Community that should be backed up by a new syllabus that is appropriate and relevant for this day and age. OLPC’s press release last month included the following statement from Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman of the nonprofit.

“OLPC’s partnership with the East African Community represents another significant step toward a world in which every child has access to a world-class education, to the world’s body of knowledge, and to each other,” Negroponte said. “The East African Community is dedicating itself not simply to One Laptop per Child, but to a world in which the children become agents of change – making things, teaching each other and their families and affecting the social development of their community.”

The laptops alone will not save our educational program. They come equipped with tailor made educational material and thousands of textbooks, which is good, but we need to insure that a new syllabus is created to go along with the OLPC initiative that focuses on encouraging creativity and developing problem solving skills. Intel has a K12 program, which employs such a syllabus. We should take advantage and make use of emerging fields like Engineering Education, which focuses on addressing the way children are educated. Such bold initiatives need to be adopted all across the continent for there is no better investment that a people can make like investing in their children for they are our future.

This new breed of Africans of well-educated people will be able to fashion policy that works and serves us well. The Ghanaian economist Dr. George Ayittey calls them the “http://www.ted.com/talks/george_ayittey_on_cheetahs_vs_hippos.html” fast-moving, entrepreneurial leaders and citizens who will rebuild Africa. The new Africa will be not only be well educated, but will also know how to think. It’s one thing to teach pupils how to memorize dates and stuff but another to engage and mold young minds in a fashion that enables them to have independent thought, to be innovative and creative. Only then will we be able to come up with new ways and solutions to address the problems that we face today and become serious players on the world stage.

The interventions needed for Africa are not simple nor one sided. Only a holistic approach will work. So when a call for educational reform rings out, we should not forget about those already in the system. Their needs must be addressed as well with adult education classes and trade skills that will enable them to contribute meaningfully to society and support themselves. Corruption that is endemic in many African countries must be addressed at the root. A well-informed population that exercises it’s right to be governed well is a good start. It won’t solve all the problems we have overnight like water & food security, health issues and poverty and it’s related problems but will provide our people with the tools they need to create solutions to address them. An inscription on the first public library in the USA (the Boston Public Library) reads, “The Commonwealth Requires The Education Of The People As The Safeguard of Order And Liberty”. We need good quality education for all in Africa as it will serve as a safeguard to order and liberty and will enable us to rapidly develop our communities.

The second item Policy can have far reaching and more immediate effect. Our leaders and lawmakers need to formulate better and more effective policy, which must be grounded in a firm understanding of the issues at hand, it needs to be realistic in relation to our given set of circumstances. The economist Paul Collier in his book the bottom billion argues for improved trade policies to help the poorest countries. We also need good internal policies to run our countries well.

Another economist Hernando de Soto in his book “The Mystery of Capitalism: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else” says:

property only becomes useful capital when it is legally recognized by a formal legal system, since it is only when it is formally titled that its potential can be harnessed for loans, taxes, and security.

As De Soto traces the development of the US economy, it becomes apparent that American economic stability and growth only flourished once the majority of its citizens achieved property rights and were integrated into a legal titling system.

This is a good example of how legislation that provided strong property rights enabled nations like the USA to develop. We all know that we need to have the rule of law for they’re to be justice and peace in our land. However, we also need good laws and good policies for us to abide by. Poor policy is detrimental to our development and therefore does not serve us well even though it’s adhered to strictly.

It is refreshing to note that our governments are starting to realize the importance of good legislation that protects local and foreign investments. As African countries work to lure investors to our lands we are challenged by investors to have strong property rights to protect their investments. Tanzania is in the process of working to use investment bonds to fund massive infrastructure project like a multi-billion dollar railway line to Rwanda. A limitation to this and other international investment is their weak legislation. Minister Kawambwa recently said:

“We need legislation that protects somebody’s investment. If you don’t have the requisite legislation, then the risk levels are high and it is very difficult to attract someone to come and invest,” Strong policy that protects people’s property rights is needed to encourage and protect our investments both local and foreign.

When we have addressed education adequately, we will then be in position to write good policies and laws for our land. This will provide a conducive environment for us to develop socially, politically and economically. Our prosperity will then serve as our defense against anarchy as we will all have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

What’s proposed here is not a simplistic solution to the multitude of problems that face many African countries today, but I believe that good education for all and strong effective policy that works will provide us with a good solid foundation to build a better Africa.

Deputy Secretary General floats the idea of establishing a Centre of Excellence in Cyber Science in the region

2011-12-06T00:16:00.001-08:00

Posted by Will Mutua on October 26, 2011

ARUSHA, Tanzania, October 26, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Dr. Enos Bukuku has stated that the realization of a solid cyber laws regime in the Community will underpin the implementation of the Common Market Protocol especially on the services, an area of great potential for the region.

Dr. Bukuku, who was addressing participants attending a three-day EAC Task Force meeting on Cyber Laws (Phase II) at the Zanzibar Beach Resort Hotel in the United Republic of Tanzania, revealed that the EAC Cyber Laws reform programme began in November 2006, following the approval of the regional e-government strategy by the EAC Council of Ministers.

He said since then the EAC legal framework for Cyber Laws (Phase I) covering electronic transactions; electronic signatures and authentication, cyber crime, and data protection and privacy had been adopted by the Council of Ministers and was under implementation.

The EAC official said about KShs. 106 billion (approximately $1.05 billion) is reportedly transferred in a month via M-Pesa, a mobile money transfer concept launched in Kenya and which is being replicated across the region.

“This volume of business must be anchored on an effective regulatory framework and a robust cyber laws regime,” asserted Dr. Bukuku.

He saluted the experts, consultants and supporters of the EAC cyber laws development process for making it possible for the region to stand tall in the development of laws that will enable it to tap into the multi-billion dollar e-business world.

The Deputy Secretary General applauded the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for the technical and financial support to the Cyber Laws Phase II Framework that is focusing on intellectual property rights, competition, e-taxation and information security.

Dr. Bukuku appealed for the continued assistance from UNCTAD bearing in mind that Partner States were at different stages of developing national cyber law regimes and therefore capacity building will be required for some of them.

The Deputy Secretary General floated the idea of establishing a Centre of Excellence in Cyber Science in the region as this was a growing field that would require better preparations if the region was to fully exploit the potentials in the e-business sector.

Representatives from UNCTAD including Madam Cecile Barayre-El Shami, and UNECA; Partner States ICT and cyber law experts; EAC Director for Infrastructure, Mr. Philip Wambugu and Senior Communication Engineer, Mr. Robert Achieng are attending the meeting.

Tags: africa, Communication, ICT, information, multimedia, technology

http://afrinnovator.com/blog/Press%20Releases/eac-develops-cyber-laws-deputy-secretary-general-floats-the-idea-of-establishing-a-centre-of-excellence-in-cyber-science-in-the-region/

Germany Appoints Special Representative to the East African Communityit

2011-10-16T04:32:00.001-07:00

The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has appointed His Excellency Klaus-Peter Brandes, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Republic of Tanzania as its Special Representative to the East African Community.East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, 13 October 2011: The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has appointed His Excellency Klaus-Peter Brandes, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Republic of Tanzania as its Special Representative to the East African Community.In his September 27 letter to the Secretary General of the East African Community, the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Guido Westerwelle affirms that H.E. Klaus-Peter Brandes will serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany in the exercise of his duties with regard to the EAC.While presenting his accreditation letter to EAC Secretary General Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera, Amb. Klaus-Peter Brandes said his government attaches great importance to the East African integration process and to the prosperity of its citizens. He said by establishing this formal relations with the EAC, the Federal Republic of Germany wishes to further strengthen the long-standing and deep relationship it maintains with the East African Community.Amb. Sezibera hailed the existing cordial relations between the Germany Government and the EAC Partner States. He said Germany was supporting so many projects both at Partner State and the Community levels.The German envoy also handed the EAC Secretary General a book entitled Processes of Legal Integration in the East African Community edited by Kennedy Gastorn, Harald Sippel and Ulrike Wanitzek a publication of the Tanzanian-German Centre for Postgraduate Studies in Law at the University of Dar es Salaam School of Law in cooperation with the University of Bayreuth.For more information please contact: Owora Richard Othieno, Head of Department; Corporate Communications and Public Affairs; Tel: 255-768-835021; Email: othieno@eachq.orghttp://eac.int/about-eac/eacnews/813-germany-appoints-rep-to-eac.html

Uganda: Is Our Democracy Starting to Shine?

2011-10-16T04:13:00.000-07:00

Uganda: Is Our Democracy Starting to Shine?

Editorial

15 October 2011

opinion

It has been quite a politically sobering week. Former VP Gilbert Bukenya (below) was in jail - the highest public official brought to book over Chogm funds abuse - then released on Tuesday to an arousing reception from his supporters. The debates in Parliament over oil brought the whole country to a never seen before standstill.

It was a standing ovation to the 9th Parliament for a job well done after breaking, not just the ice to the drama, but passing resolutions calling for further investigations into a simmering oil curse. Then, for the first time in Uganda's history that is filled with patches of bad governance, corruption cover-ups, commissions of inquiry whose reports never see the light of day, three ministers 'stepped aside' to allow the due process to start.

We - Ugandans - might have felt for the first time that democracy is at work finally after many years of pretending to be a flowering democracy. It is unprecedented in this country to see such heavy weights give priority to the law to prove their innocence on grounds of corruption.

We should not applaud the move of the ministers but call for a culture of 'stepping aside' or resignation whenever one's official reputation comes under questioning over governance issues, human rights abuse, and other ills which public officials tend to gloss over.

For long, Ugandans have gotten used to politicians unashamedly barking back at the public or the justice system whenever they are called upon to take responsibility over their actions. This has consequently bred a culture of complacency with "I don't care" attitude even among those whose duty is to find the wrongdoers. Investigations usually get bogged down by bureaucracy or 'killed' by occupants of powerful offices to ensure nothing substantial comes off.

That is why events of this week should mark a new start, offering President Museveni a clean slate to redeem his government of individuals found wanting on governance matters. Some of these in his Cabinet, for example, have served for so long that most Ugandans believe they have lost the will to fight corruption.

EAC plans joint diplomatic missions

2011-07-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

A regional heads of state summit. The EAC is planning to have joint diplomatic missions to cut costs. File

By George Omondi

Posted Tuesday, July 19 2011 at 00:00

The five East Africa Community member states are planning to have joint diplomatic missions to reduce the cost of operating such as offices.

The bloc says it will ratify the protocol on foreign policy co-ordination in weeks to allow members with diplomatic missions or consulates to extend services to citizens of other partner states that are not represented.

This means that instead of setting up foreign offices in every corner of the world, EAC members will concentrate resources in countries where they have diplomatic or commercial advantage while relying on neighbours’ offices elsewhere.

The presidents of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi witnessed the signing of the protocol in December 2010 but none of the EAC countries had ratified it by June, this year, as agreed.

“There are other processes that have to be completed before the ratification is done but we are certain this will not take longer than two months,” Njogu Ngariama, the head of African division at the ministry of foreign affairs said on Monday.

He said the protocol was being circulated among relevant ministries before it is ratified.

The shared diplomatic and commercial mission initiative comes at a time Kenya is seeking additional resources to help stamp her authority in high potential export destinations

For instance, in US where the country exported a total of Sh24 billion last year, there is only one Commercial Attaché. Trade ministry officials have been considering establishing an office outside Washington DC to help cover other areas of US and maximise the potential of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa)

Among other things, the partner States have agreed under the protocol to jointly present and support each member’s candidates and candidatures for competitive positions in international organisations.

Its ratification means that the countries will have to consult one another before presenting candidates for international vacancies that are zoned or political in nature instead of competing against each other.

The countries will be expected to jointly mobilise support at the regional and international levels in respect of the candidates and candidatures agreed upon by the partner states.

David Nalo, the Permanent Secretary in charge of EAC ministry, said the move to harmonise consular and visa services for EAC citizens was a major step in deepening integration from the political angle.

“This is a major milestone taking place in the region and opens up a multitude of opportunities for all East Africans,” Mr Nalo said in an article sent to media houses on Friday.

The harmonisation of consular and visa services, Mr Nalo said will facilitate cooperation on matters of security, information sharing and immigration policy.

The move will also make the region more attractive for businesses, service providers, tourism, students, and other East Africans who wish to exploit the potential. “Taking the EAC Treaty first, these discussions are evidence of the partner States’ commitment to secure political and diplomatic integration as we head to the ultimate goal of the integration journey, the EAC Political Federation.” said Mr Nalo

The region launched its common market protocol last year, a stage of integration that allows free movement of services and factors of production.

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/EAC+plans+joint+diplomatic+missions/-/539546/1203594/-/view/printVersion/-/h8win4z/-/index.html

Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) Launch

2011-03-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

The Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA) Launch was held in Nairobi on February 1, 2011. It was presided over by the Burundian President and Chair of Summit for the East African Heads of State and attended by among others the Kenyan Prime Minister, The Kenyan Minister for EA Affairs and the EAC Secretary General.

TMEA is supported by the Danish, UK, Netherlands and Belgian Governments among others with operations across East Africa intended to support Trade policy and regional integration.

During the launch, TMEA exposed participants to its operations across East Africa, its Business Plan and the expected roles of the national stakeholders’ forums. Visit Trademark’s website at www.trademarkea.com to watch a video on the launch

TMEA is committed to supporting East African Governments, the private sector and the civil society in; policy and infrastructure development, improving cross border trade and investments, removal of Non Tariff Barriers and ensuring transport efficiency. PSFU is on the National Organizing Committee for TMEA and is already working with the team to support private sector involvement in regional integration and cross border trade.

Source Private Sector Foundation Uganda http://www.psfuganda.org/

Meeting to Negotiate Monetary Union Protocol Kicks Off

2011-03-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE: from The East African Community

EAC Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 28 February 2011: The Minister to the Office of the President responsible for East African Community Affairs of the Republic of Burundi, and also Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Hon. Hafsa Mossi today opened the first meeting of the EAC High Level Task Force to negotiate the East African Monetary Union (EAMU) Protocol taking place at the Source Du Nil Hotel in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Hon. Hafsa Mossi reminded the delegates that the provisions of the EAC Common Market Protocol on freedoms of goods, persons, labour, capital and services, including the rights of establishment and residence in the EAC were paramount and hence the need to ensure that there were no overlaps between the Common Market and the Monetary Union.

The Minister, who was represented by her Permanent Secretary, Mr. Jean Rigi, said this will call for EAC Partner States to coordinate and harmonize their financial and regulatory frameworks in order to smoothen their payments systems if East Africans were to enjoy these freedoms.

“As for any process, our efforts towards integration will need time to be fully-fledged and it is a challenge, but it is also possible to overcome impediments if every side plays its part” noted the Minister. The Minister asserted that the Monetary Union will take the East Africans to a higher and deeper stage of integration, saying “let us worktogether so as to make it a reality”.

Addressing the delegates, the EAC Deputy Secretary General (Planning and Infrastructure), Mr. Alloys Mutabingwa disclosed that the EAC Secretariat was in the process of building its capacity to take the negotiation process forward. In this context, the Secretariat had signed a Grant Agreement with the World Bank to the tune of US$16 million to support the EAC Financial Sector Development and Regionalization which will intially be implemented over three years but with an extension for 6 more years.

Mr. Mutabingwa said the project will cover 5 areas with a base component of capacity building including: financial inclusion and strengthening market participants; harmonization of financial laws and regulations against common standards; mutual recognition of supervisors; integration of financial market infrastructures; and lastly the development of a regional bond market.

The Deputy Secretary General affirmed that the vibrancy and stability of the financial sector was a key determinant of a steady economy, national and regional. He said the World Bank support to regional integration came at the right time as EAC strives to implement the Common Market while clearing the ground for the Monetary Union.

Mr. Mutabingwa said the delegates were laying a firm foundatiion for the fully fledged economic community and reiterated the need to ensure that the negotiation process continues on the basis of mutual understanding, professionalism, team spirit, mutual respect and search for a common ground.

The five-day meeting ending on 4 March will be characterized by Working Group and Plenary Sessions. Four working groups namely, Macroeconomic policy Working Group (MWG); Statistics Working Group (SWG); Financial Sector Working Group (FSWG); and Payment and Settlement Systems Working Group (PSSWG) were established at the first Meeting of the HLTF that was held in Arusha, Tanzania from 17 – 21 January 20111.

The Bujumbura meeting is expected to refine the matrices for each working group including the development of the matrix for the Payment and Settlement Systems Working Group (PSSWG).

The Meeting is also expected to consider, review and refine the draft Terms of Reference on the EAC macroeconomic convergence criteria.

For more information please contact: Owora Richard Othieno, Head of Department; Corporate Communications and Public Affairs; Tel: +255 784 835021; Email: othieno@eachq.org

A Town Hall Meeting on the PRDP of Northern Uganda

2009-08-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

A CALL TO A TOWN HALL MEETING
By Ruth Bahika

They say, “Opportunity is seldom presented, easily lost”. Here, my dear people, is a true opportunity.

A few days ago we found out through the grapevine that the Permanent Secretary to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) was passing through Boston: Mr. Pius Bigirimana. This gentleman is of particular interest to me, and here’s why. He is the key government official in charge of the implementation of the Peace Rehabilitation Development Plan for Northern Uganda.

All over the world, people pleaded, marched, sang, wrote, lobbied and beat drums to raise awareness about the tragic situation in the North. Now with the threat of the LRA no longer looming over the people of Northern Uganda and the subsequent end of forced displacement, the sad story does not end here. The hard work begins.

When the PRDP was launched by the Government of Uganda back in October 2007, Prime Minister Apollo Nsibambi described it as “a commitment by the Government to stabilize and recover the North”. The budget? Over $600 million for it’s three-year plan. That’s almost shs400 billion ($202m) per year. Wow.

This is a sum that without a doubt can kick-start the forward momentum of a comprehensive recovery process for this region, kick-start the bridging of the economic disparities between Northern Uganda and the rest of the country…kick-start a healing process.

So. What has the PRDP done so far?

We present to you Mr. Pius Bigirimana.

He will be in our midst, ready and willing to have an open, non political straight to the point discussion about the PRDP in a town hall type of forum. Come all and have your questions, concerns and suggestions addressed by non other than the chief technocrat in charge of the program.

A truly unique opportunity.

***Refreshments will be served!

Date: Sunday, August 23, 2009
Time: 4:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Best Western Hotel
Street: 380 Winter Street
City/Town: Waltham, MA

RSVP:
Kenneth D'damba 617-771-9162
Ruth Bahika: 781-354-5282
Apolo Ndyabahika: 617-840-9661
bahika@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=236512720525&ref=mf

Celebrating a new dawn

2009-07-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

The wait has been long, but the wait has been worthwhile. From brainstorming sessions, to consultations, to arguments. From sketches, to test runs, to presentations. Then, finally, to the PORTAL.

The journey has been extensive and arduous. Late nights, early mornings, short weekends, skipped lunches. But never were they labours in vain. The East African Community Web Portal is here, finally.

This is an effort that has taken just two months shy of a full calendar year to complete. That, by the way, is remarkable. Ask any website developer, designer, producer; one website could take up to six months to complete.

The EAC Web Portal (http://www.eac.int) combines no less than 18(!) standalone websites. The implication is that in ten months, for 18 websites to be built, one website had to be ready every two weeks on average. Is that some sort of record?

Okay, now is not the time for paeaning. The work after all, has only begun. My belief is that websites are never “complete”. Forget what I wrote in an earlier paragraph.

Websites are an eternal “work in progress”. The dynamic nature of the World Wide Web means that its most significant opportunity is juxtaposed – at all times – with its most alarming challenge—the insatiable appetite for content. Content drives websites. Up-to-date content separates the good from the bad.

So while websites present a wonderful channel through which to communicate with anyone, anywhere, anytime, they also present a huge burden of expectation: anyone, anywhere, anytime expects to find the website up-to-date all the time.

That is a challenge we are alive to, and have chosen to embrace as an opportunity. There is a website for just about every EAC organ, institution or sector as part of the portal, with content designed principally to address the information needs of the various interest groups of an individual sector/organ.

Some websites/sections of the portal provide additional services, as deemed relevant. However, all websites that are part of the EAC Web Portal have platforms enabling either user-user or user-owner interaction, as a testament to the premium value we attach to listening to you, and/or helping you air your views.

But why must I do all the talking. Let’s allow these newly created online resources do that for us. After all what would be the point in having them? Have a great time navigating our portal. If you have questions or comments, you know we can’t wait to hear them!

Edward - Website Editor
East African Community
http://www.eac.int

The Resurrection of the East African Federation

2008-12-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

The old is now new! East Africans all over the world look forward to having a new home, the East African Federation. At a consultative meeting held in Boston, MA East Africans steadily trickled into a large elegant Jewish temple turned auditorium, Boston University’s “Morse Auditorium” to discuss, present their viewpoints and address issues and concerns on the formation and fast tracking of the East African Federation.

The Boston meeting was the culmination of a nationwide consultative process that started in Atlanta, GA followed with meetings in Houston, TX; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; Minneapolis, MN; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; New York City, NY; and San Diego, CA. It was a two-part process that involved sensitization of East Africans in the Diaspora on progress with the integration of East African States, and (very importantly) the collection of viewpoints from East Africans in the diaspora.

Interestingly, through the process we found that a significant number of East Africans were unaware of the rapid political changes taking place back home. Many did not know of the achievements and milestones that have been reached, such as the Customs Union which is already in effect, and the common market which is being implemented. They were either unaware or did not understand the full implication of us uniting to form an East African Federation. The importance and timeliness of the consultative process was therefore apparent, in keeping the wanainchi in the diaspora appraised and involved.

In order to afford East Africans in the diaspora the opportunity to actively participate in the consultative process, The East African Community Secretariat in Arusha, Tanzania gave the East Africa America Business Council (EAABC), and the East African Cooperation Forum-Diaspora (EACF-D) the mandate to coordinate the process in the USA. The EAABC/EACF-D identified cities with significant numbers of East Africans and created local coordinating committees in each of these cities. At town hall meetings held across the country, participants were given a platform on which to talk about the process the East African Community is going through; a Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union and a Political Union on the road to building an East African Federation.

The results:
Over 7,000 East Africans across the USA received information packages on the EAF, over 500 East Africans participated in town hall meetings, and over 130 East Africans completed an online survey. Individuals who participated in the online survey and those that participated in the town hall meetings were unanimous in their support for an East African Federation.
A summary of the results:
89% of the participants strongly agreed or agreed that economic integration of the East African States will be beneficial to the people of East Africa.
84% of the participants strongly agreed or agreed that the political federation will be beneficial to the East African People.
74% of the participants agreed strongly or agreed that the political federation should be fast-tracked.
On the political federation itself, participants were willing to cede the following responsibilities to the federal authority: defense, monetary policy, regional infrastructure development, international relationship, labor laws, education, professional certification, role of final arbiter in legal matters.
Participants were not willing to cede land and cultural matters to the federal authority.
Participants also noted that more needs to be done to educate East Africans on the political federation and the benefits thereof.

Some familiar names were amongst the participants; Prof. Ngugi Wa Thiongo, Uganda’s Ambassador to the United Nations H.E. Francis Butagira, Prof. Ahmed Samater and many others.

With the elevation of Rwanda and Burundi to full member status in the East African Community, the size of the economic block has grown to over 120 million people with a combined GDP of over $60 billion. This regional integration is expected to enhance peace and stability, stimulate economic growth and attract new investors to the region.

Significant achievements to date of the East African Community include:
The establishment of a Customs Union, Capital Markets Development and cross listing of stocks, harmonization of the operations of the Ministries of Finance and Central Banks, reduction of national trade barriers. Easing of cross-border movement of persons and goods, the implementation of an East African Passport and a borderless cell phone network.

We now look forward to achieving the following significant milestones:
• A Common Market, a Monetary Union, and a new East African constitution.
• January 2010, President to be elected for the transitional Federation.
• 2012- Transitional Federal Parliament sworn in - Judges of the East Africa Supreme Court sworn in - Constituencies delineated - Election laws enacted- Defense put in place- Federal Police put in place - Other Federal Institutions as provided for under the Constitution put in place
• January 2013 - Election of the President of the East African Federation and Federal Parliament sworn into office.

A tough road lies ahead of us all as we work towards translating these great ideas and concepts from paper to reality. Our resolve will be tested - will we stay true to our word? Issues like corruption, good governance and rule of law need to be firmly addressed. As we create a political and economic framework for the EAF we need to make sure that our infrastructure is integrated and solid; improved transportation, reliable electricity for all, revamped telecommunication services, up-to-date and available health care and good competitive educational systems.

We are building a new future for us our children and fellow citizens. Lets us rise up to the challenge and create a new, powerful, effective and successful East African Federation.

Your View Point Matters! - The National Consultative Process in North America on the Political Federation of the East Africa States

2007-04-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

East Africa America Business Council
P.O. Box 54702, Atlanta, GA 30308
Tel: (404) 538-6893, Fax: (678) 344-5450
www.eaabc.org
East African Cooperation Forum – Diaspora
34 Bear Path Lane, Hudson, NH 03051
Tel: (603) 881-5750, Fax: (603) 320-2924
www.eacfd.org

YOUR VIEW POINT MATTERS

PRESS RELEASE: April 16th, 2007

The National Consultative Process on the Political
Federation of the East Africa States.
Should there be an East Africa Super State? If so, when and what type of Super State do the East African people desire?

Desiring to accelerate the realization of the economic and social aspirations of East Africans, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have embarked on a fast tracking process for an East Africa Political Federation. Burundi and Rwanda are currently members under observer status, and will become full-fledged members in June 2007. The East Africa leaders believe that a Political Federation will provide a bigger voice in the global arena, result in efficiencies due to economies of scale, lead to better management and utilization of shared resources, and quicken the economic and social development of East Africa. Each country has established a National Consultative Process that is currently gathering the views and desires of the citizens regarding the fast tracking of the Political federation.

It is estimated that currently, East Africans in the Diaspora remit back more than $2 billion dollars, making this group one of the highest sources of foreign currency and revenue for the region. East Africans in the Diasporas have remained active and are engaged in issues that shape public policy, hence the need to have the Diaspora viewpoint on the political federation.

The East African Community (EAC) has tasked the East Africa America Business Council (EAABC) and the East African Cooperation Forum - Diaspora (EACF-D) to carry out a nationwide consultative process amongst East Africans in the United States of America and Canada regarding the political federation of East Africa. The consultative process in North America aims at enhancing awareness of the process that has been going on since the East African Cooperation Treaty was signed on November 30th, 1993, and provides a forum whereby East Africans in the Diaspora will have an opportunity to have input in the formation of an East Africa Super State.

The consultative process will utilize the uniform background information that is being used across East Africa. Using a town hall format, the dialogue will discuss the reasons, meaning, implications, models and timing for the political federation. Participants will complete a survey at the end of each meeting in which they will have an opportunity to further express their views regarding the formation of an East Africa Federation. For those who are unable to attend the forums, a presentation detailing the salient facts will be made available on-line along with a survey for them to fill out. This data will be collated and sent to Arusha, Tanzania in preparation for the Heads of States meeting that is slated for June 2007.

The dialogue will take place in the following selected cities. All are welcome to participate.

Umoja ni Nguvu! (Unity is Power)

Main Contacts:

Stephen Seda 404-277-4528
Seda1@sei2000.com

Apolo Ndyabahika 781-244-3598
bahika@gmail.com

CONTACTS AND DATES FOR THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE PROCESS ACROSS THE USA & CANADA

Atlanta, GA - April 28, 2007
Dr. Ismael Gyagenda, Gyagenda_I@mercer.edu
Mr. David Ochwangi, dochwangi@yahoo.com
Mr. John Kazilo, joy_kazilo@yahoo.com

Dallas/Houston - May 5, 2007
Mr. Timothy Kizito, tkizito@aol.com
Ms. Deborah Mawanda, deborahmawanda@yahoo.com
Mr. Solomon Musyimi, smusyimi@yahoo.com
Dr. Lennard Tenende, lennard.tenende@kdr.com

Seattle, WA - May 5, 2007
Dr. Omara Abe, cancoya@aol.com
Mr.Eric Odhiambo, ericothis@comcast.net

Denver, CO - May 5th, 2007
Mr. Ed Kironde, Edkay4u@yahoo.com
Mr. Shem Gowi, shemgowi@msn.com

Minneapolis, MN - May 12th , 2007
Mr. Izooba Mugabi, Izomu11@yahoo.com
Mr. Joash Maangi, jmaangi@ongerilaw.com
Ms. Jacqueline Abebe, umojasociety@comcast.net
Mr. Tom Gitaa, tgitaa@mshale.com

Los Angeles - May 12th, 2007
Mr. Moses Wilson, wiltec10@aol.com
Mr. Andrew Mungoma, amungoma@hotmail.com

Chicago, IL - May 12th, 2007
Mr. Morris Kabuage, kabuage@gmail.com
Mr. Jeff Nzoma, jnizzo@hotmail.com

Toronto, Canada - May 19th, 2007
Mr. Erisa Mugabi, emkawooya@hotmail.com

Washington, DC - May 19th, 2007
Ms. Mkawasi Mcharo, mkawasi@yahoo.com

New York, NY - May 19th, 2007
Mr. Arthur Gasasira, a_gasasira@yahoo.com
Mr. Abraham Muhozi, amuhozi@yahoo.com
Professor K. Lwiza, klwiza@notes.cc.sunysb.edu

San Diego, CA - May 25th, 2007
Mr. Andrew Mungoma, amungoma@hotmail.com

Boston, MA - May 26th, 2007
Mr. Joseph Manthi, jmanthi@gmail.com
Mr. Sam MBanda, mbandasm@brandeis.edu

Umoja ni Nguvu! (Unity is Power)

Message from Hon. Eriya Kategaya to the EACF-D

2007-03-01T19:45:00.000-08:00

Ministry of East African Community Affairs
Post Office Building
Yusuf Lule Road
P.O. Box 341,
Kampala, Uganda
East Africa

It is refreshing to know the East Africans who are living in the United States of America are following with keen interest the political developments in our region.

The quest and desire of integrating and uniting our people in the region is as old as during the colonial times. This is because the artificial boundaries, which were drawn in Berlin in 1855, divided the people who have had historical and cultural links since time immemorial. Secondly, the three East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were linked in terms of common services during the colonial times and after independence. It was in 1977 when these natural links between our peoples were opportunistically snapped and disintegrated. Even after 1977 there were skeleton linkages among our people as exemplified in common border trade, sometimes called "smuggling" in official parlance.

Since August 2004, our three Heads of State of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda breathed a new impetus in the process of integration of our Region. The Republics of Burundi and Rwanda have been brought into the East African Community. There is an exercise of consulting the wanainchi about the political integration of East Africa. This exercise should be supported because there are numerous advantages of having a region composed of 110 million people under one administration. With this huge population, we can attract quality investors, we can reap economies of scale, we can eliminate inefficient industries and be able to compete in world trade and we can develop common resources, like Lake Victoria together, etc.

It is in this spirit that I salute your efforts to awaken and champion the noble and historical duty of enlightened East Africans to integrate our region for future betterment of the lives of our people. I wish you every success. Our Government in general, and my Ministry in particular, will be at your disposal in the noble cause of integrating meaningfully our Region.

Yours Sincerely,

E. Kategaya
First Deputy Prime Minister/
Minister of East African Community Affairs

THE STRUGGLE FOR UNITY AMONGST AFRICANS

2007-02-16T04:02:00.000-08:00

SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON EAST AFRICA

A short historical background:

Skeptics of the Revolutionary Movement to unite in East Africa and Africa in general are about to be put to shame and will have no choice but to join the struggle. Firstly, however, let me ask you to join me in honoring those of our fore fathers like; Marcus Garvey, Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Julius Nyerere, Kwame Toure, and others who, in spite of the greatest obstacles ahead of them stood their ideological ground for what they knew was the right path for Black Africa and Africans around the world. I say this because since the onslaught of colonialism and slavery, Europeans using the power of the gun, made it their ultimate mission to brainwash and westernize our people using brutal force not for the advancement of Africa but for the advancement of Europe and America. As a result, even after the onslaught of brutality, we live in conditions whereby Europeans need not be present for their interests to be represented. For the last century and a half any African who stood up for African interests risked being castigated by their own people, most of whom believed and still believe it is of African interest to continue the advancement of western ideology in Africa.

Most unfortunately our education systems and curriculums in Africa have to conform with western standards in order to be accepted internationally. Simply meaning, Africans still have to learn about Africa from non-African outsiders. This has no doubt robbed our people of their true pride and heritage except for our languages which, unlike the former slaves who were brutalized much worse than their African counterparts, Africans were able to pass down from generation to generation. Our African people whose ancestors were the initiators of civilization now have to depend on Europe for their education and advancement, which advancement they will never fully take advantage of since as a result they continue with the status quo that their education was design to support; operating as ignorant donors to the West.

Today the Pan-Africanist’s biggest challenge is to fight against this western fuelled ignorance amongst African people. The biggest struggle is to get Africans fighting for African interests. This is why we must honor those Africans who came before us that stood their ground and even died so that Africans may one day be free.

Due to the superficial divisions or borders left behind by Africa’s oppressors fuelled especially by their uncontrolled greed it has been virtually impossible for Africans to live with each other without interference from outside of Africa or due to foreign agents from within Africa. For the last 50 and more years Africa has inevitably gone through an unintended re-organization process that has had to include civil war and the endless fight against poverty and disease. It is really comical that many from the West have proved to be even more ignorant than the Africans they educate by genuinely presuming that Africa must be in a state of chaos because Africans are Black. The ideology of racism that somehow engulfed the West temporarily assisted in the advancement of what Europe and America are today by simply helping to justify the brutality of slavery and colonialism that are the back bone of whatever major economic development you see in the West today. However if Africans, through Pan-Africanist studies, are able to go back to history before colonialism and slavery we will discover that our potential far exceeds what potential we view of ourselves today and it will indeed take those Pan-Africanist studies to restore amongst our people the overwhelming potential and pride our ancestors possessed.

The way forward:

In East Africa we are undergoing a revolution to unite the 5 East African States of Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Burundi under political, economic and military Federation. This is the first time that Africans will implement the unity we have been hearing about for so long but never experienced. This is the first time Africans will be given a chance to truly cooperate amongst themselves without much interference from within or without. Many of our people do not realize it yet but this will be the first time hope will arrive for Africa. For a long time Africans are like brothers born from the same mother and father but never had a chance to see each other because the parents separated. Imagine now the chances for advancement within this family unit when these brothers discover each other and swear to make up for lost time without the constraints of their parent’s separation.

We must be proud of the East African Community Secretariat, the East African Cooperation Forum and other African-centric organizations that have diligently and consistently sat down to spearhead the revival of hope for Africans in the region of East Africa to begin with by fighting to be one. We are no doubt confronted by obstacles from the usual suspects but our esteemed delegates have never the less decided not to let our people down. I am left with no alternative but to admit that Africans have woken up and that a larger group of Africans have stood up to carry the humungous mantle left behind by the few who stood against Africa’s enemies and died for it.

In order to quell many of the problems that the former EAC members struggled with let us resolve to make sure that regional interests of Africa satisfy national interests. The great delegates of today who sit down and analyze how the EAF will take route must be guided by regional and not national interests. I take particular note of this because former delegates guided by myopic, parochial and greedy national interest were the cause of the first collapse of the EAC. While we should ensure that all states are represented fairly at first, we must view ourselves and at least in this case as East Africans first. For me it is almost an insult to call me Ugandan before calling me East African when it has a potential to hinder cooperation between me and my Kenyan, Tanzanian, Burundi, Rwandese brothers. For the sake of our progress in Africa please identify me as African first, who comes from the Eastern part of Africa, particularly from Uganda and then more particularly from Ankole. This means that as an African if someone is disturbing the peace of my brothers in Darfur I must be involved in helping to quell that peace rather than say I am from Ankole or Uganda and therefore it is non of my business. This is our major problem in Africa. In fact we have been so ideological unfortunate that even if a problem occurs in a tribal area of Uganda I am ready to alienate myself from the problem by identifying myself with my own tribe alone. In our neo-colonial mindsets we think it is easier to deal with problems by disassociating ourselves from our brothers yet we are instead and unknowingly compounding the crisis for all of us. What a shame on us that Americans from Iowa are able to assist their brothers in New York against an enemy yet we in Uganda expect Americans to come again and assist our brothers in Darfur against what should be our common enemy with those of our brothers in Darfur. What a sincere shame.

Political and Economic Federation of East Africa:

There is no doubt that we depend on the expansion of our markets in order to invite massive investments in East Africa. Any entrepreneur is only interested in the numbers of potential consumers that will make his investment worth his while. We depend on these investments therefore to provide jobs for millions of jobless people that are coming out of colleges and have nowhere to implement their talents. I have always wondered why some Africans prefer to convince us that it is easier to try and work out our problems as Ugandans first before we cooperate fully with our Kenyan, Tanzanian counterparts while being oblivious to the fact that we are as poor as we are distinctly because of that lack of cooperation with our brothers. Meaning we will never develop as Uganda alone.

For the private sector to become the engine of economic growth that it needs to become in East Africa barriers to their operation are in the process of being removed. In East Africa we are now blessed to have the political will from all 5 East African countries. This is one of those blessings that most of our skeptics were not counting on because they are used to undermining our political systems, misadvising and thinking that political systems from far off lands outside Africa are our only solution.

Now we are ready to even unite under one political federation that will also enable us to speak with one voice and put a halt to the biggest corruption against Africa from the West that has pillaged African resources and economic potential through unfair trade and systematic use of protectionist policies against Africa.

For the first time we are now ready to reap from the benefits of having one regional security network that will stand against any regional problems that arise. Never again will we be destabilized by rebel groups armed by western or terror organizations trying to forcefully implement their interests upon the East African people. For the first time we will even be better equipped to go out and be able to quell not only East African problems but other African crises that arise because we will have far more capacity than a small Ugandan army, Burundi army alone has today.

East Africans in the Diaspora:

I am please to inform East Africans world wide that not only is the struggle for unity confined to Africans in Africa. We have, upon the mandate given to us by leaders in East Africa established a chapter of the East African Cooperation Forum in the Diaspora in order to represent the interest of East Africa and East Africans outside East Africa. We felt that the reasons we are struggling for unity in Africa are the same reasons we should be struggling for unity amongst East Africans in the Diaspora and therefore should not be left behind.

By virtue of Africa’s status below the poverty line we were faced with a huge wave of immigration of Africans fleeing Africa for presumably better pastures. As a result, Africans, while being able to send home a little more income than many of their brothers at home were making and thus contributing to the GDPs of their countries, were engulfed in the same obstacles that Black people living in Western countries were caught up in; the direct effects of racism and therefore the denial of the same opportunities Europeans had access to.

We of The East African Cooperation Forum in the Diaspora have made it our priority to lobby for East African interests in Africa and within the Diaspora. We are now at the fore front of the struggle for unity amongst our people because it is the only way for us to collectively build capacity so that we may advance as a community and therefore be able to send even more remittances home from our hard work. There is no question that so called minorities have been extremely instrumental in the modern advancement of the western world. Therefore we are also entitled to what is ours and are free to do what we want with what is ours but will never fully take advantage of what is ours without being organized through a unified approach.

While our target is to work on a fast track basis towards cooperation in line with our brothers and sisters at home we must be involved in joining others of the black community to struggle for our collective rights in the Diaspora. Due to the onslaught of racial discrimination and lack of organization amongst ourselves to put a halt to it, opportunities have passed us by not because we are African but because we are as Black as our brothers and sisters, descendants of our ancestors who came here not by their free will but by the use of brutal and uncompromising force.

We have no doubt that our struggles will bear fruit because of the consistent rise and cooperation of organizations such as ours that aim to stand for what is of interest to Africa and Africans.

Long Live the Revolutionary Movement to unite Africa and to unite Africans outside Africa.

Allan Rwekishokye Katatumba
President
East African Cooperation Forum - Diaspora
www.eacfd.org

The East African Cooperation Forum: A Framework for Public Deliberation

2007-02-15T23:11:00.000-08:00

My dear friends and fellow East Africans,

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to join us in a new forum - the East African Cooperation Forum - Diaspora www.eacfd.org to talk about the issues that face us in East African and in the diaspora as our countries unite under the auspices of the East African Community which will evolve into the East African Federation.

As you all know, the leaders of our countries; Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have revived the East African Community, starting with the Treaty for East African Co-operation signed in Arusha, Tanzania - November 30, 1993 and finally reviving the EAC on November 30, 1999 (treaty came into force in July 2000) and have set the wheels in motion to form a political federation going through the stages of a Customs Union (Jan 2005 - Kenya to pay duty on its goods entering Uganda and Tanzania until 2009/10 based on a declining scale), a Monetary Union with a common currency, the East African Shilling (by 2009), a Common Market and finally a Political Union with one President and a Common Parliament (by 2010) with rotating presidencies, and voting for a single president in 2013.

We are now faced with a myriad of challenges: Will it work for us? Is this the best way forward for our countries? Is there really enough time to pull this off smoothly by 2010? What about all the problems the individual countries face internally ranging from; war to tribalism, lack of trust in the elected leaders . . . We are also faced with all kinds of political, social and economic challenges; will we be able to rise up and meet the challenges head on with viable solutions? Or will we fail as we once did in 1977?

The forum we have created, the EACF-D www.eacfd.org will give us a place to come together as East Africans in the diaspora to share our views and concerns regarding the East African Community and the East African Federation. We are faced with very complex issues and some people have strong feelings towards the on-going developments at home. Our hope is that we realize that even the most complex issues we face can be approached, understood (to a reasonable extent), deliberated upon and addressed by us, the common people of East Africa. Unlike a public poll which would take a snapshot of what peoples views are on various matters/issues surrounding the EAC/EAF (which should be done), this forum will offer us a chance to understand what the peoples opinions are and give us the opportunity to work through the various issues that face us in creating this union. It will give us a chance to consider the costs and consequences of different courses of action and identify the types of actions we (the people) would be willing to support. The forum will enable us to; explore the minds of East Africans in the diaspora, allow us to diffuse "hot issues", discuss salient matters, deliberate and have dialogue on relevant, pertinent and salient issues, analyze common trains of thought and help us map out a reasonable road map as we all struggle and grapple with this issue.

We are a non-partisan group and seek to involve ALL East Africans with no regard to ones political, religious or ethnic background. We seek to convey our thoughts on the East African Community/Federation to our governments at home and sensitize East Africans in the diaspora, the general populations, and our governments and people at home on issues surrounding the EAC/EAF.

We look forward to interacting with as many East Africans as possible. Membership to the forum is free, just go to http://eacfd.org/site/en/members.html and sign up to participate in our debates, discussions and dialogue.

Sincerely,

Apolo Ndyabahika

Apolo Ndyabahika

Secretary of Information

East African Cooperation Forum - Diaspora