The East African Community (EAC) has been challenged to utilise funds from donors to implement the intended projects and programmes.
The minister counsellor with the European Union
(EU) Mission in Tanzania, Mr Eric Beaume, said development partners were
keen to see the funds used in the most efficient way.
“You have to deliver on the regional integration
agenda in the most efficient way to achieve the anticipated results,” he
said here on Tuesday during the signing of a financing agreement
totalling 4.45 million euros to support the third phase of the Regional
Integration Support Programme (Risp).
The programme aims at increasing the capacities of
the partner states to implement the EAC Treaty provisions and Protocols
in the areas of Custom Union, Common Market and improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of the EAC organs.
The objective of this programme is to support the
EAC region, the Secretariat and the partner states in their efforts to
deepen the integration agenda and increase competitiveness.
The 3rd generation Regional Integration Support
Programme (Risp 3) aims at enhancing regional integration processes in
the whole of Eastern and Southern Africa, as well as the Indian Ocean.
It also builds on the lessons learnt during the implementation of previous similar projects.
Risp 3 specifically addresses the challenges of
the EAC and provides concerted, tailor-made support to the organs and
the states.
The programme is part of a 20-million euros
package designed for Comesa, EAC, Igad and IOC. As far as the EAC is
concerned, the priorities focus on implementing the Customs Union,
Common Market, Monetary Union and Sensitization programmes.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, the EAC
deputy secretary general in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr
Jean Claude Nsengiyumva, expressed the community’s appreciation for the
continuous support from the European Union to the EAC.
He said the continued support from the European
Union and other development partners had been a key factor in assisting
the EAC to move closer to attaining its goal of regional integration and
that commitment and effective management had led to more confidence
from all the stakeholders.
For his part, the EU head of cooperation and
minister counsellor, Mr Eric Beaume, affirmed that “in the increasingly
globalised world, regional blocks have the potential to foster the
wellbeing of their citizens.
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