23rd Extra-Ordinary Meeting of Council of Ministers concludes in Kigali
ARUSHA, Tanzania, March 31, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The 23rd Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers concluded today at the Lemigo Hotel in Kigali Rwanda, with the Ministers adopting several policies and directives geared at enhancing and strengthening the regional integration and development process.
The meeting, which was chaired by Hon. Hafsa Mossi, the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers and Burundi’s Minister of East African Community Affairs, was attended by Hon. Prof. Helen Sambili, Kenya’s Minister of East African Community; Hon. Monique Mukaruliza, Rwanda’s Minister of East African Community Affairs; Hon. Samuel John Sitta, MP, Tanzania’s Minister of East African Cooperation; and Rt. Hon. Eriya Kategaya, Uganda’s 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs.
Other Ministers present were Hon. Nsanzabaganwa Monique, Minister for Trade and Industry, Rwanda; Hon. Karugarama Tharcisse, Minister for Justice/Attorney General, Rwanda; Hon. Murekezi Anastase, Minister for Public Service and Labour, Rwanda; Hon. Hawa Abdulrahman Ghasia, Minister, President’s Office, Public Service Management, Tanzania; Hon. Mary Ancilla Ntakaburimvo, Minister for Justice and Custodian of Seals, Burundi; Hon. Sendazirasa Annonciata, Minister for Public Service, Works and Social Security, Burundi; Eng. Gagawala Nelson George Wambuzi, Minister of State for Trade, Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, Uganda; Hon. Opio Gabriel, Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Uganda; Hon. Rwamirama K. Bright, Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda.
Deputy Ministers in attendance were Hon. Peter Munya, MP, Assistant Minister of East African Community, Kenya; Hon. Aden Sugow, Assistant Minister of State for Public Service, Kenya; and Hon. Mahadhi, J. Maalim, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Tanzania.
The Chairperson commended the Republic of Rwanda for hosting the Meeting, the Secretariat for the wonderful co-ordination and the Co-ordination Committee for the job well done culminating in the Report that the Ministers considered.
The Council of Ministers considered the status of Partner States’ contributions to the EAC Budget as at 30 March 2011. The Council also deliberated on the stalled EAC-EU-EPA negotiations, the supplementary budget for the Financial Year 2010/2011 for the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), and human resource matters.
Partner States’ contributions
The Council noted with appreciation and commended all Partner States for having remitted fully their contributions for the Financial Year 2010/2011. This means that each Partner State has settled its obligation of US$6,149,674 for the FY to total US$30,748,370 as thier contributions to the budget of the Community.
EAC-EU EPA negotiations
The Council of Ministers deliberated at length on the stalled EAC-EU-EPA negotiations. The negotiations stalled as a result of the objection by EALA Members to the use of funds mobilized by the EAC Secretariat from a Development Partner to facilitate the negotiation process. The Council requested EALA to reconsider its position on the use of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) Grant for the negotiations and approve the US$ 3.48 million.
EALA is arguing that mobilization and receipt of funding from the Party the Partner States were negotiating with was unacceptable and that funding from SIDA would not only compromise the negotiations to the Partner States’ detriment but would as well prejudice and weaken any stronger stance the latter may adopt on the negotiations. As a way of addressing the funding challenges associated with the EPA negotiations, EALA recommended to the Council to directly allocate funding from their national budgets.
The US$ 3.48 million is to cater for, among others, supporting the EAC Capacity building for defining trade negotiations through researches and studies and training of trade negotiators, support to negotiation meetings and sessions, technical support to the EAC Secretariat, sensitization and public awareness on EPAs, and project management, monitoring and evaluation.
EALA’s Supplementary Budget
The Council retrospectively adopted EALA’s supplementary request of US$ 70,350 from the Africa Union Commission and US$ 108,850 from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. The US$ 70,350 from the Africa Union Commission is specifically for undertaking a study on the proposed EAC Trans-boundary and Eco-Systems Bill, 2008, as well as, to conduct public hearings and validation workshops in all the EAC Partner States.
EAC Trans-boundary and Eco-Systems Bill, 2008
The Bill seeks to lay foundation for EAC Partner States to cooperate in all matters of environment and natural resources, particularly with regard to management, preservation, protection, and enhancing the quality of environment.
The Bill identifies the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania (then in 2008). Owing to the importance of the Bill, and the need to undertake a comprehensive study and to take on board comments and views of the citizens of East Africa, the UNEPI and the African Union Commission Directorate responsible for Environment agreed to support EALA through provision of a grant of US$ 70,350.
The Council urged East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) to take into account the trans-boundary ecosystem of the Republic of Burundi and the Republic of Rwanda during the study. The basis upon which the proposed Trans-boundary and Ecosystems Bill was presented to EALA in 2008 did not take into account the trans-boundary ecosystems of Rwanda and Burundi. The original draft Bill only covered the original three Partner States since the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Burundi had not yet joined the Community.
EALA’s Public Relations Function
EALA with financial support from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) amounting to US$ 108,850 is implementing Phase II of the EALA-WFD project whose activities are geared towards enhancing EALA’s public relations function, as well as, enhancing Parliamentary knowledge and networks.
Under Phase I of the Project, EALA established a public relations unit manned by a temporary staff whose responsibility was to customise EALA’s public relations and communications strategy to fit within EACs overall communications outlook. Phase II is geared towards consolidating operations of the Public Relations Unit and enhancing the institutional capacity of EALA, its committees, Members and the staff. The ultimate aim is to enhance accountability and responsiveness of EALA both within and outside East Africa.
Human Resource Matters
Road Map for the integration of Burundi and Rwanda into the Community
The Council took note of the Report on the Road Map for the integration of the Republic of Burundi and the Republic of Rwanda into the East African Community and reiterated its directive to the Secretariat to prepare a clear Road Map for the integration of the two Republics into the East African Community in terms of recruitment and hosting of Organs and Institutions of the Community and submit the same to the 23rd Ordinary Meeting of the Council.
The Council directed the Secretariat to expeditiously conclude the studies on the Equitable Distribution of Costs and Benefits, Quota System and Institutional Review which will inform the process of preparing the Road Map for the integration of the Republic of Burundi and the Republic of Rwanda into the East African Community by 30th June 2011.
Comparative Survey on Recruitment System/Use of Quota System
The Council took note of the report on the Comparative Survey on Recruitment System including the use of the Quota System in the Africa Union and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) of COMESA, SADC and ECOWAS. The Council adopted the Quota System to operationalize the principle of equity in recruitment without compromising merit and gender balance based on funding arrangement and point system on the basis of the number and level of positions held.
The Council constituted a Team comprising of two Experts from each Partner State to work together with the Secretariat to develop a formula to operationalize the Quota System and submit a report to the Council by 31 July 2011 for consideration.
Rotation in the Appointment of Heads and Deputy Heads of EAC Institutions
The Council adopted Guidelines for the Application of Rotation in the Appointment of Heads and Deputy Heads of EAC Institutions. The guidelines include, among others, rotation of Executive Secretary/Director. This position is to be filled on competitive basis through advertisement in Partner States which are eligible to offer candidates; a maximum of three qualified candidates per eligible Partner States shall be short-listed; and the short listing, interview and the appointment process shall be guided by the EAC Staff Rules and Regulations.
Also included are Partner States whose candidate is appointed Head or Deputy Head shall not, at the end of the fixed contract period, be eligible to offer a candidate for this position. The post shall rotate to a candidate from another Partner State; this process shall continue until the whole cycle is completed with every Partner State having occupied the post of Executive Secretary/Director; the Head or Deputy Head shall not be citizens from the same Partner State during the same period; and where a different candidate is selected to fill the position of Head of Institution other than the one who may be serving in the position of Deputy Head, the Partner State concerned will be obliged to recall the serving Deputy Head and compensate him/her in accordance with the EAC Staff Rules and Regulations.
In the event of Premature Separation, where the position of the Head/Deputy Head of Institution falls vacant before the expiry of the contract period for whatever reason, the position shall be filled by a candidate from the same Partner State to serve the remaining period of the contract; and this arrangement shall ensure that each Partner State is given an opportunity to provide a Head/Deputy Head of Institution for the full period prescribed in the respective Acts/Protocols governing the EAC Institutions.
The Council directed the Partner States, EAC Institutions and the Secretariat to follow the guidelines on rotation in recruitment of Heads and Deputy Heads of EAC Institutions and directed the Secretariat to identify the legal instruments that need to be amended for incorporation of guidelines and submit the amendment proposals to the Council for consideration.
EAC Staff Rules and Regulations and Risk Management Framework Policy and Strategy
The Council took note of the progress in the development of the EAC Staff Rules and Regulations and the EAC Risk Management Framework Policy and Strategy and directed the Secretariat to submit the EAC Staff Rules and Regulations and the EAC Risk Management Framework Policy and Strategy to the 22nd Ordinary Meeting of the Council scheduled for April 2011.
Institutional Review
At its 20th Extra-Ordinary Meeting held in April 2009, the Council directed the Secretariat to undertake a comprehensive study on the Community and propose institutional reforms aimed at transforming the Community into an organization that will effectively and efficiently discharge the expanded mandate of the integration process of the Community.
In this context, the Council took note of the Progress Report on the Institutional Review of EAC Organs and Institutions and directed the Secretariat to submit to Partner States by 1st April 2011, the revised Institutional Review Report together with the comments from the Stakeholders to enable Partner States effectively participate in the 22nd Meeting of the Council scheduled for April 2011 where the Report will be tabled for consideration.
Key objectives of the review were fourfold; to analyze the current institutional framework to determine its ability to manage the implementation of the expanded mandate; to develop an appropriate structure with functional responsibilities to manage the deeper integration process of the Community; to develop appropriate functional relationships within and between the Organs and Institutions of the Community that will facilitate effective synergies in the implementation of EAC strategic agenda; and finally to determine the cost implications of the proposed structure.
SOURCE
East African Community (EAC)
