2013
has come to a close, and 2014 beckons . I wish you all as well as all
your loved ones a prosperous and peaceful New Year. May it bring you
success, joy, and strength.
The
end of the year and the beginning of a new one is a time for
celebration, for reflection, and for renewal of vows. I thank you all
for your invaluable contribution to East African Integration during the
year just ended. When I joined the team in 2011, I outlined five
priorities among the many other priorities for the next five years. I
thank you for working hard to achieve all of them.
You
have brought to fruition the Single Customs Territory. I look forward to
its implementation beginning 2014. We have seen significant and
sustained removal of non-tariff barriers to trade - and the results
thereof are beginning to be felt by East Africans.
Implementation
of the free movement of persons and labor provisions of the Common
Market Protocol has received a major boost by the agreement on the use
of Identity Cards as travel documents within East Africa for Burundi,
Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. I look forward to the beginning of
implementation in 2014.
This
will also be the year we finalize all preparations and Procure the Next
generation Internationalized East African Passport which will be issued
in 2015. These are exciting times. Progress has been recorded on Mutual
Recognition of Qualifications in East Africa and preparations for
turning our region into a Single Higher Education Area by 2015 gained
momentum. The year also saw deepening of financial integration. Our
Central Banks started implementation of an East African Payments
System, allowing East Africans to use their local currencies for
transactions within the region.
2013
saw East Africa reach a critical integration milestone with the
conclusion and signing by the Heads of State of a Monetary Union
Protocol. I wish to congratulate our Partner States for this historic
milestone event. I thank all of you who worked hard to make this
possible, under the direct technical leadership of Dr Enos Bukuku,
DSG(PI) and Mr Tharcisse Kadede, ( DP). We now have to redouble our
efforts to make sure the provisions of the Protocol are implemented on
time. The clock is ticking on our journey towards a Single Currency for
East Africa.
Our
Infrastructure program saw accelerated implementation in 2013.
Investments in Rail, Energy and Ports and Harbors increased.
Construction of the Standard Gauge railway started, the Ports of Mombasa
and Dar es Salaam received increased attention, Financing for critical
energy projects was secured and construction on a number of them
started. Our One Stop Border Post construction Program is in high gear,
and a number of them will be inaugurated in 2014.
And
finally, our determination to reach out to, and involve the people of
East Africa in the integration agenda gained momentum, although there
still is a lot to do. Media Owners and Practitioners committed to
promoting Integration during the Media Summit, which they themselves
organized and owned for the first time.
The
Secretary General' Forum with Civil Society, Private Sector, and other
Interest groups is proving to be an important engine for involvement of
ordinary East Africans in the integration process. Separate meetings
with the Private Sector, focusing mainly on the Manufacturing Sector,
are providing useful ideas for growing this critical sector. Children
through their Summit, have been brought on board.
The
Youth are being mobilized, including through the Youth Ambassadors
program. Local Government Authorities, farmers associations, and
professional associations are increasingly becoming actors and allies in
the journey to integration. Legislators, both within the EALA and the
National Parliaments are mobilized and are beginning to be engines of
mobilization. The East African Court of Justice has brought justice
closer to the people through the opening of sub registries in all the
Partner States.
I
congratulate all of you for making a deliberate choice to reach out to
the people of East Africa and to involve them in building our Region. We
should redouble our efforts in this area in 2014, reach out to
University Students, the Faith based Community, Women groups and the
Diaspora.
All
this would not have been possible without the involvement of the support
sectors of the Community. Reforms in Financial Management, Procurement,
Budgeting, Audit and risk function, and Human Resource Management
including Performance based Management are beginning to bear fruit.
They
give confidence to all our Partners that we are committed to robust and
transparent management systems. During the coming year, we shall have to
strengthen and deepen these reforms and renew our determination to be
an Organization committed to Accountability for Resources and
Accountability for Results. I am glad that transparency in recruitment
will be given a boost by the involvement of a professional firm to help
manage the process.
I look
forward to conclusion of the Institutional Review Process, a Review of
the terms and conditions of service for Staff of the Community, as well
as an Alternative Financing Mechanism for our Community. I also look
forward to the rolling out of the Quality Management System across the
Organization as we work towards ISO certification.
The
past year has shown us that our Community can achieve much, but that it
is also fragile. We have seen East Africans suffer the indignities of
being 'illegal immigrants" in East Africa, and the challenges of
differentiated implementation of decisions in our region. I commend all
of you for the manner in which you faced these challenges. However, they
also exposed the need for proper structures, processes, and procedures
to deal with such issues. I urge those directly concerned to expedite
work in this area.
My
condolences go out to all of you who lost their loved ones this past
year. We lost members of staff, and my heart goes out to their families.
Their loss should only inspire us to work harder to achieve East
African Integration.
I look
forward to negotiations with the Republic of South Sudan on the terms
of accession into the Community. The year ends with insecurity, and
instability in South Sudan. Our condolences go out to those who have
lost their loved ones and livelihood, as well as the thousands displaced
and living in fear. We urge the Government of South Sudan and it's
opponents to firmly commit to the IGAD led process and return the
Country to Peace and Stability.
During
2014, the Community will start the verification process for the
accession of the Federal Republic of Somalia to the Community. I take
this opportunity to wish the Government and People of Somalia Peace,
Stability, and Prosperity.
Congratulations
for a very successful year to all the Staff of the Community. On behalf
of the Executive Staff, I can say we are proud to lead you. We commit
ourselves to do even better in 2014. Do not hesitate to let us know
where we can do better. We certainly will not be shy to let you know
where we expect you to do better.
East
African Integration is pivotal for a resurgent , dynamic, prosperous,
confident, Africa. We all can be proud to be part of this historic
Mission. Africa cannot and should not continue to simply agonize. It
needs to Organize, and in many ways, East Africa can be the beacon for
this organization. Let us all vow and determine to make it happen!
A Happy and Prosperous 2014 to you all.
Aluta Continua
Dr Richard Sezibera
Ambassador
Secretary General.
Post a Comment
unashauriwa kutoa maoni muda na wakati wowote na kama unahabari yeyote unaruhusiwa kututumia