Aspectos epidemiológicos

Project Support to the EAC integration process

Project region EAC: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

Project partner EAC Secretariat | Headquarters: Arusha, Tanzania

Project term Launched: January 2007; ongoing phase: October 2009 to December 2012

Budget EUR 11 million (ongoing phase)

Context

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have been EAC members since 1999; Rwanda and Burundi joined the EAC in 2007. The EAC Treaty envisages harmonisation of the policies of the partner states, the establishment of a customs union and the creation of a common market, a common currency and ultimately a confederation of states. The countries’ efforts to form a common market are founded on the willingness of the heads of government to come to a political agreement and on broad support from the private sector in the East African region. Notable initial successes were achieved with implemen- tation of the economic integration agenda, for example the establishment of the customs union in line with the agreement. Nevertheless, crucial steps still need to be taken before economic and social integration in the EAC region succeeds. The biggest hurdles are the creation of a common market and a common currency.

The EAC Secretariat plays a key role in coordination, strategic planning of the steps towards integration, presentation of the integration agenda, monitoring its implementation, and pooling and managing the use of resources. The Secretariat’s organisational and technical capabilities and the possibilities open to it have not yet been adequately developed. There is still need for technical, strategic and financial support.

Project

The objective of the project is to advance the regional integration of the EAC partner states in order to deepen political cooperation, boost economic growth, promote sustainable development and contribute to poverty reduction. The effectiveness and efficiency of the EAC Secretariat in shaping, coordinating and monitoring the regional integration process is improved. The Secretariat is intended to be a driving force for regional integration within the EAC. In this process particular importance is attached to bringing the interests of civil society and the private sector and its professional associations more closely into line with each other. Cooperation focuses on five areas:

• support for the EAC Secretariat in the implementation of institutional reforms, specifically in relation to planning, monitoring and personnel resource management, agreed in the Capacity Development Action Plan;

• strengthening the economic policy competencies of the Secretariat to enable it to pursue, shape and coordinate the processes for creating the customs union and the common market in a technically competent manner;

• institutionalisation of the representation of interests of regional business associations and civil society organisations at the EAC Secretariat;

| Intergovernmental consultations between the EAC and Germany in Arusha, October 2011

| Representatives of the EAC and GIZ at the Second Media Training for East African Journalists, August 2011

As at: June 2011 F A C T S H E E T : R E G I O N A L E C O N O M I C I N T E G R A T I O N

• promotion of tax harmonisation in the EAC, with particular emphasis on VAT and excise taxes; • strengthening the EAC Secretariat with regard to

trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (the World Trade Organization's patent protection agreement: WTO-TRIPS, Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) and promotion of the pharmaceutical sector, to make use of TRIPS flexibility for the production of essential medicines in the region.

GIZ supports the Secretariat and its employees with advisory services and the provision of training. Among other things this includes supporting expert reports by the EAC Secretariat on hotly debated issues, such as the social impacts of the common market on the citizens of the EAC partner states. The staff of the EAC Secretariat receive training at their place of work. GIZ also finances external studies, workshops and seminars, participates in the coordination of donor activities, and makes a financial contribution to the joint EAC Partnership Fund. This was set up in 2006 in order to pool and better coordinate the contributions of the donor community to support the East African integration process. Results

The project approach improves the performance capability of the EAC by strengthening its services, specifically those of the Secretariat, by transferring experience and expertise and providing training. A comprehensive, deep understanding of current developments and the ability to provide high-quality advisory services are particularly important at a time when the Secretariat is undergoing rapid change

because of considerable growth in personnel numbers, and when new challenges are arising regarding the quality of political projects.

Examples of this are the full membership of Rwanda and Burundi, the decision to introduce an East African common market in January 2010 and a customs union in January 2012, and the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the EAC and the EU. Cooperation with East African business associations is also fundamental. For example, urgently required advice is offered on the formulation of reliable regional policies and concepts. The most important partner, the East African Business Council (EABC), has considerably increased its influence in the years of intensive coop- eration and has more than doubled its number of members. Cooperation with other regional groupings is gradually beginning.

Many EAC managerial staff stress the importance of cooperating closely with East African civil society, especially with organisations involved in the integra- tion process in East Africa. The project supports the Secretariat in elaborating a strategy for cooperation with civil society and advises the responsible department on its implementation.

Contact

Capacity development for regional integration in EAC Secretariat of the East African Community

P. O. Box 13854 Arusha | Tansania

Contact person Dr Axel Dörken

T +255 27 250 4588

F +255 27 250 4255

E [email protected]

| The plenary chamber seen from the gallery

| The office wing of the AICC, seen from the south east