East Africa community relaunched

Jan 16, 2001

The presidents of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania inaugurated the East African Community on Monday, aimed at creating a customs union and then a common market along European Union lines.

By Anne Mugisa and Agencies The presidents of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania inaugurated the East African Community on Monday, aimed at creating a customs union and then a common market along European Union lines. The launching ceremony took place yesterday afternoon at the Sheik Amri Abeid Stadium, Arusha, when the three presidents hoisted the three flags of the East African Community. Kenya's Daniel arap Moi is the chairman of the East African Authority. However, with Uganda and Tanzania reluctant to expose their fragile industries to competition from abroad, negotiations on the more controversial details about the removal of trade barriers have been postponed. The leaders signed an agreement in November 1999 to form the community with the aim of creating a free trade area. Rwanda's president, Paul Kagame, and Burundi's Pierre Buyoya attended the inauguration. Mkapa said there was hope for them to join. Museveni underlined the importance of economic integration. "There is no way we can modernise without expanding our markets," he said. "I do not know of any government that has developed without a big market." Under the treaty, the three countries will negotiate the framework of a customs union over the next four years and will then move to establish a common market. Officials also envisaged monetary and political union in say 20 years' time. "Everything we have done up to now has just been the preparation," Mkapa said. "The work for integration has just began," he added. Key institutions of the community will include a stock exchange and a regional Court of Justice with common strategies on managing everything from road and rail networks to tourism. Moi said the launch represented a big step in the re-integration of the region. Ends.

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