“The East African Community after 10 Years: Deepening EAC Integration”
ARUSHA, Tanzania, February 23, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The East African Community after 10 Years: Deepening EAC Integration
Event: A two-day conference, co-sponsored by CIDA, the IMF, and the EAC Secretariat.
Goal: A meeting of experts and policy makers to discuss the EAC’s accomplishments to date, the benefits of regional integration, relevant international experience, and the macroeconomic policy challenges going forward.
Participants: The event will bring together about 100 participants with a broad range of interests and responsibilities, including senior policy makers, other officials, researchers, and business leaders. The conference will be open to the media, and conference proceedings will be published as a book.
Location: Hotel Mt. Meru, Arusha, Tanzania
Dates: Monday-Tuesday, February 27-28, 2012
“The East African Community after 10 Years:
Deepening EAC Integration”
Monday, February 27, 2012
8:00 Registration and Breakfast
9:00 Conference opens
9:00
9:10 Remarks by Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera, EAC Secretary General
Remarks by Mr. Naoyuki Shinohara, IMF’s Deputy Managing Director
9:20
9:30 Remarks by Hon. Njeru Githae, Ag. Minister of Finance, Kenya and Chairperson of the Sectoral Council on Finance and Economic Affairs
Emerging East Africa
• Chair: Mr. Naoyuki Shinohara, IMF Deputy Managing Director
• Lead presenter: Professor Paul Collier, University of Oxford
• Discussants: To be confirmed.
Professor Collier has studied and written extensively about African economic issues. He will provide his views on achievements and prospects for the EAC. Questions from conference participants will be welcome.
10:45 Break for coffee
11:15 Sustaining Economic Growth in the East African Community
• Chair: Dr. Richard Sezibera, Secretary General, EAC
• Lead presenter: Ms. Cathy McAuliffe, IMF African Department
• Discussants: Mr. Chris Kassami, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Uganda; Dr. Moses Ikiara, Executive Director, KIPPRA, Kenya; Dr. H. Bohela Lunogelo, Executive Director, ESRF, Tanzania; Mr Vinod Shah, CEO, BIDCO, Kenya.
Ms. McAuliffe will discuss what factors affect the prospects for sustained robust economic growth in the EAC, and draw lessons for policy makers. A range of highly qualified discussants will add to the discussion. Questions will be welcome from conference participants.
12:30
Buffet lunch
14:00
Developments in the Euro Zone: Lessons for Monetary Union
• Chair: Governor Benno Ndulu, Bank of Tanzania
• Lead presenter: Mr. Mahmood Pradhan, Deputy Director, IMF European Department
• Discussants: Hon. Maria Kiwanuka, Minister of Finance, Uganda; Governor Njuguna Ndung’u, Central Bank of Kenya
The recent crisis in the Euro Zone is of key importance to policy makers charting the path toward greater economic and monetary union in the EAC. A senior official from the IMF’s European Department will discuss the origins of the Euro crisis, and preliminary lessons for other countries considering monetary union. After comments from key EAC policy makers, questions from conference participants will be welcome.
15:15 Break for coffee
15:45 Fiscal Policies in a Regional Context
• Chair: Hon. Maria Kiwanuka, Minister of Finance, Uganda
• Lead presenter: Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, Deputy Director, IMF Fiscal Affairs Department
• Discussants: Hon. Jacques Ngendakumana, Acting Minister of Finance, Burundi; Ms. Pitchette Kampeta Sayinzoga, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Rwanda; Mr. Joseph Kinyua, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Kenya; Mr. Lawrence Bategeka, Ag. Principal Research Fellow, EPRC, Uganda.
Mr. Gupta is one of the IMF’s leading experts on fiscal policy issues, and will discuss how national budget policies should evolve during the move toward monetary union. The session will also include the views of key EAC discussants and conference participants.
17:00 Monetary Policy Harmonization in the EAC
• Chair: Hon. Robinson Njeru Githae, Acting Minister of Finance, Kenya
• Lead presenter: Mr. Rogelio Morales, IMF African Department
• Discussants: Governor Njuguna Ndung’u, Central Bank of Kenya; Governor Gaspard Sindaygaya, Central Bank of Burundi; Governor Mutebile or Deputy Governor Dr. Louis Kasakende, Bank of Uganda; Mr. Peter Gakunu, Chairman and CEO, Karumasi Consultancy Limited; Dr. Charles Kimei, Managing Director, CRDB Bank, Tanzania
Mr. Morales will discuss recent work conducted for the EAC Monetary Affairs Committee on how national EAC monetary policy regimes could be harmonized to pave the way toward monetary union. Lessons for reform will be identified. The views of discussants and conference participants will be shared.
18:15 Closing remarks by an EAC Minister of Finance or Governor
18:30 Session closed
19:00 Conference reception
20:00 Conference dinner
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
8:30 Breakfast
9:00 Promoting EAC Regional Financial Integration
• Chair: Hon. Mustafa Mkulo, Minister for Finance, Tanzania
• Lead presenter: Governor Claver Gatete, Central Bank of Rwanda
• Discussants: Ms. Stella Kilonzo, Chief Executive, Capital Market Authority – Kenya; Mr. James Agin, Chief business Officer, KCB Bank Group, Nairobi; Mr. Kal Wajid, Division Chief, IMF Monetary and Capital Markets Department; Mr. Japheth Katta, CEO, Capital Market Authority – Uganda
Governor Gatete (to be confirmed) will discuss developments in EAC financial markets over the past decade, including progress toward greater market integration. Discussants will assess constraints to further regional integration and remaining policy priorities. The session will conclude with questions and views from conference participants.
10:15 Break for coffee
10:45 Investment and trade in the EAC: Progress and Priorities
• Chair: Hon. John Rwangombwa, Minister of Finance, Rwanda
• Lead presenter: Mr Peter Ladegaard, Head of Investment Climate programs, East and Southern Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
• Lead presenter: Mr Ali Mufuruki, Chairperson, InfoTech Investment Group and Woolworth, Tanzania
• Discussants: Mr. Econie Nijimbere, Burundi Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Agatha Nderitu, Executive Director, East African Business Council (EABC); Mr. Peter Kiguta, EAC Director General, Customs and Trade
Mr. Ladegaard will discuss the World Bank/IFC’s Doing Business surveys and the insights that these provide into the changing business climate in the EAC. Mr. Mufuruki will provide a complementary business perspective on the region’s climate for investment and trade. Discussants will bring insights from the broader business community and think tanks. The session will close with questions and views of conference participants.
12:00
Buffet lunch
14:00 Policy Priorities for the East African Community
• Chair: Ms. Antoinette Sayeh, IMF’s African Department Director
• Panelists: Hon. Robinson Njeru Githae, Acting Minister of Finance, Kenya; Governor Gaspard Sindaygaya, Central Bank of Burundi;; Dr. Enos Bukuku, EAC Deputy Secretary General, Planning and Infrastructure; Jacques Morisset, Lead Economist, World Bank; Dr. Antonia Muturo, Executive Director, IPAR, Rwanda; Déo Ngendakumuna, Executive Director, IDEC, Burundi; Marc Rugenera, Chairman, Capital Market Authority, Rwanda
A panel of regional experts provides their personal views on the policy priorities for the EAC in the coming 5-10 years. Are the challenges internal or external? Economic or political? Other?
15:20 Comments and questions for the panel
Conference participants will have the opportunity to present their own views, and challenge panelists.
16:20 Closing remarks by Mr. Shinohara, an EAC Minister of Finance or Governor, EAC Secretary General, and Canadian High Commissioner
16:35 Conference closed
SOURCE
East African Community (EAC)
