EAC Integration is Crucial says Amb. Sezibera
EAC, August 20, 2013
"Intra EAC trade has more than doubled and trade with the rest of the World has grown more than 60%", noted Amb. Sezibera
The Secretary General of
the East African Community (EAC) Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera
said no Country in history has been able to succeed and
prosper by turning inward and keeping the "others" out.
Those that tried to do so were inevitably forced to change
tact quickly.
"If you cannot trade with your neighbor, you will trade your
neighbour", Africans failed to trade with each other and
instead participated in trading each other as slaves, added
Dr Sezibera.
Making a keynote address themed Regional Integration for
Sustainable Development in the East African Community last
evening at the 30th Anniversary of the Consumer Unity and
Trust Society (CUTS) International at the Hilton Hotel in
Nairobi, Kenya, the Secretary General noted that EAC was
working hard to deal with barriers to intra EAC trade, and
increasing the efficiencies of the Ports, removing literal
and figurative barriers to trade and investing in the hard
and soft infrastructure required to support the region's
growth.
"Intra EAC trade has more than doubled and trade with the
rest of the World has grown more than 60%", noted Amb.
Sezibera. He reiterated that East Africa needs to continue
to work to make sure movement and work in East Africa is
hassle free for East Africans. "Common Market should allow
people to use the market", stated Amb. Sezibera.
On Climate Change and Food Insecurity, the EAC chief said
that bloc strongly believes that a clean and healthy
environment was a prerequisite for sustainable development.
Amb. Sezibera underscored that the protection of environment
was too important to be left only to local and national
authorities. "It is and must continue to be an important
regional, continental and global agenda".
"I am pleased to inform you that EAC has developed a Post
Rio+20 Plan of Action following the Rio+20 Summit held from
20 - 22 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro that provided the
framework for post 2015 Millennium Development Goals".
The representative of the Secretary General of United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Dr .Mukhisa
Kituyi said it was important to note that East Africans were
responsible for their own development.
He called upon the people in the region especially youth to
take advantage of the several opportunities popping up as
the region integrates deeper especially in the areas of
trade.
At the occasion, Trademark East Africa (TMEA) CEO Mr. Frank
Matsaert affirmed his organization was very much committed
to supporting pragmatic solutions to challenges faced by the
EAC in its integration agenda.
Notes to Editors
Consumer Unity and Trust Society Africa Resource Centre
(CUTS ARC), Nairobi started as a non-governmental
organization (NGO), and was registered in the year 2000, in
Nairobi, Kenya. The Centre started its operations in the
year 2003.
The setting up of the Centre was a necessity owing to the
frequency at which many NGO's in Africa were approaching
CUTS for supporting areas of consumer protection, poverty
reduction, trade development and economic policy, training
and advocacy.
Another aim of CUTS ARC is to consolidate and expand the
activities of South-South civil society cooperation.
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