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Hon. Wapakabulo Addresses EALA
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| Hon. James Wapakabulo,
Chairman EAC Council of Ministers |
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In his capacity as current Chairman of the
EAC Council of Ministers, the Ugandan 3rd Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. James Wapakabulo, addressed
the Eighth Session of th East African Legislative Assembly
(EALA) February 13-14, 2003 in Arusha. He briefed Members
of the Assembly on the status of implementation of provisions
of the EAC Treaty. He was accompanied by Amb. M. S. Katende,
Head of Africa Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Customs Union
On the progress of the ongoing negotiations for a Protocol on the
establishment of an EAC Customs Union, Hon. Wapakabulo pointed out
that most eleme nts for the protocol have been elaborated and consensus
achieved. The aspects of the protocol agreed on include: Elimination
of non-tariff barriers; Rules of Origin, Dumping, Subsidies and
Countervailing
duties;Competition, Duty Drawbacks, Refund and Remission of duties,
Customs
Cooperation; Re-export of goods, simplification and Harmonization
of trade documentation
and Procedures, and Harmonization of Commodity Description and Coding
System.
Regarding elimination of internal tariffs, a programme for their
elimination has been agreed. The only outstanding matter on internal
tariffs, which is being deliberated on, relates to interim duty
rates for Kenyan products into Tanzania. Regarding the Common External
Tariff (CET) a three tariff band structure of 0%, 10%, and X% has
been agreed. The issue being addressed is whether to adopt 20% (X%)
or 25% (X%) as the maximum CET.
The other major outstanding matter relates to a Legal, Institutional
and Administrative
Structure of the Customs Union, for which a study is on-going and
its Report is due to be received and discussed in the near future.
Business Organisations and Civil Society
Hon. Wapakabulo enumerated various steps taken by the Council
on modalities to enable business organizations or asso-ciations,
professional bodies and the civil society to contribute effectively
to the developement of the Community. The East African Business
Council (EABC) was established and coordinates activities of business
organisations in the Partner States where it has chapters. Organisations
like the EABC, the Association of Professional Societies of East
Africa, the Jua Kali Federation of East Africa, and the East African
Trade Union Council participate in Sectoral Committees and other
relevant fora of the community in observer capacity. The Community
is also implementing an outreach
programme which involves the creation of awareness about the Community
to the dif-ferent
stakeholders.
Translation of EAC Treaty
The Chairman also informed the Members that the Treaty has been
translated and simplified into Swahili. There are also efforts to
simplify it into other Local languages so
that the treaty provisions are translated into beneficial action
by all East Africans. With
the simplified versions, including one in simple English, the Council
of Ministers intends
to use the machinery of NGOs to popularize and actualize the Community
among
East Africans. The Chairman gave the example of one of the NGOs,
Kitu Cha Katiba, which is working on a simplified booklet on how
the civil society can relate to Community
activities and programmes for maximum benefit of the opportunities
presented by the regional integration process. Hon. Wapakabulo underscored
the important role
of the EALA as a link between the Community and the people of East
Africa.
Movement of Persons
On movement of persons, Hon. Wapakabulo outlined measures taken
by the Council to
facilitate easy border crossings. These include the introduction
and popularization of
the East African Passport, criteria for the issuance of Inter-State
Passes and procedures
for issuance of work permits, introduction of a simple Immigration
Departure/Exit Card, according privileged treatment to East Africans
at Airports and the ongoing harmonization
of Labour Laws. Regarding a Protocol on Movement of Persons, Labour
Services, Right of Establishment and Residence, the Chairman said
that since the free movement of persons is an element of a Common
Market, which is the next stage in the EAC integration process,
December 2005 is the target date for concluding the Protocol.
East African Court of Justice
With regard to calls that the jurisdiction of the East African Court
of Justice be extended,
the Chairman said that the Court is still in its formative stage
and measures are being put in place to widely publicize it. He pointed
out that when the Customs Union is in place, th Court will be adequately
occupied with its initial jurisdiction of interpretation and application
of the treaty. He added that the satisfactory execution of its initial
jurisdiction will allow the Coucil of Ministers to assess and determine
when to give it such other original, appellate, human rights and
other jurisdiction.
Political Federation
Hon. James Wapakabulo also alluded to the expressions being made
that the regional
integration process will be further enhanced and speeded up if a
Political Federation
is established immediately. He said that according to Article 5(2)
of the Treaty “the Partner States undertake to establish among
themselves a Customs Union, a Common Market, subsequently a Monetary
Union and ultimately a Political Federarion.”
Establishment of a Political Federation, therefore, is the ultimate
objective after the preceding forms of integration have been achieved.
In this respect, he pointed out,
the Council of Ministers is concentrating on negotiations of a Protocol
for the establishment
of a Customs Union, which is cognizant of the expressions for a
Political Federation
immediately. This is why there are a number of initiatives to determine
the viability
of the proposal.
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