PRESIDENT JK:ELIMINATE NON TARRIF BARRIERS-MASWAYETU BLOG

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Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete

Non-tariff barriers deny the EAC opportunity to unlock the immense promise of integration and starves businesses of innumerable opportunities, Tanzania President Jakaya Kikwete said Friday.

 

President Kikwete spoke after taking over the rotating annual chairmanship of the East African Community (EAC) from Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta during the 16th East Africa Community Summit in Nairobi, Kenya over the weekend.

 

 He added there was need to eliminate non-tariff barriers to intra-community trade with about 24 of them still remaining.

 

“Intra-EAC non-tariff barriers translate to impediments to our region’s competitiveness as a global investment destination denying us uncountable golden opportunities,” he said, re-assuring that Tanzania was committed to stay on the course of regional integration.

 

He said there is also need to strengthen peace and stability if the region is to prosper.

 

At the handover ceremony, President Kenyatta said the importance of improved infrastructure in the community would enhance trade and reduce costs of production.

 

We undertook to establish one-stop border posts at our major boundary points, he said, there has been tremendous progress in putting these up, and a number are complete, awaiting official opening.

 

He cited Lunga-Lunga and Taveta on the Tanzania/Kenya border as well as Rusumo on the Uganda/Rwanda border. 

 

“Upon commencement of full operations, we expect these facilities to support efficient transactions in our Community by reducing clearance times by up to 40 percent,” he said.

 

Intra-EAC trade grew from 3.5 billion $ in 2009 to about 5.8 billion $ in 2013.

 

Noting that progress has been made and moved a good distance, Kenyatta said a lot remains to be done. 

 

I assure my brother, President Kikwete of my support and trust that he will take the integration agenda even further in the coming 12 months, he said. The Summit also appointed Mr Liberat Mpfumukeko, new Deputy Secretary from Burundi replacing Jean Claude Nsengiyumva who has completed his two three year non-renewable terms.

 

Mpfumukeko, a Canadian trained, has held several positions in Burundi including the Head of the Burundi Investment Board and the National Electricity and Water Authority.

 

However, Mpfumukeko will remain in the position until April 2016 (for about a year) when Burundi officially takes over the rotating Secretary General’s position from the current Rwanda’s Dr Richard Sezibera. The Secretary General’s position is five-year fixed term position.

 

The Summit also appointed Justice Aidace Ngiye and Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi as judges of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ)First Instance Division effective June 27, 2015 while Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire was appointed judge of the EAC Appellate Division effective August 16, 2015.

 

The Summit signed and approved the protocol to operationalise the extended jurisdiction of the EACJ covering trade and investment as well as matters associated with the implementation of the protocol on the establishment of the EA Monetary Union.

 

The EAC heads of state also launched the EAC Telepresence Video Conferencing System that will see EAC meeting costs reduced by 30 percent annually. EAC hosts about 800 meetings every year at a cost of 12 million USD. 

East Africa News Agency