East African Community (EAC) Secretary General Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera predicted continued regional economic growth.
This however will not be achieved unless the regional traders start to fully benefit from the Customs Union and the Common Market protocols that up till now, are still shelves.
The five partner states must review, amend and harmonize all laws relating to the implementation of the two protocols since it is through improved regional trade that the predicted regional economic growth can be achieved.
Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete while addressing the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in Arusha recently acknowledged that all the partner states are behind schedule on these protocols.
Among the most important protocol that has not been ratified by Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi is the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
According to a report of the council of ministers, it is only Rwanda that has informed the EAC Secretary General Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera on the procedure's taken pursuant to Article of the agreement to bring it into force.
Otherwise all the four were directed to complete procedures necessary to bring into force the agreement and notify the Secretary General by 31st December 2012.
The ministers also directed Tanzania to ratify and deposit instruments of ratification with the Secretary General on Protocols on environment and natural resources, establishment of the East African Kiswahili Commission and the establishment of the East African Health Research Commission.
Kenya and Burundi were directed to submit the progress reports on the implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol and all partner states to henceforth submit bi-annual progress reports on the implementation of the protocol to the secretariat by December and June;
They also directed the secretariat to convene a dedicated session of the sectoral council of ministers responsible for EAC affairs and planning and co-opted stakeholders to deliberate on the status of implementation, challenges and various interventions to expedite the implementation of the Common Market Protocol;
Source :allafrica.com
