Museveni in Arusha for EAC summit on market integration

President Yoweri Museveni has arrived in Arusha, Tanzania for a three day working visit during which he will attend the 17^thordinary summit of the Heads of State scheduled for March 2, 2016.

The summit is being held under the theme; EAC: Advancing market-driven integration. The President was received by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of Tanzania Agustino Mahiga, Uganda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa and Uganda's High Commissioner to Tanzania Dorothy Hyuha.

Top on the agenda of the summit will be the consideration of reports by the EAC Council of Ministers on: the negotiations on the admission of the Republic of South Sudan into the Community; Sustainable Financing Mechanisms for the EAC, and; the EAC Institutional Review.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport. PPU Photo

The meeting will also consider Council reports on: the Model, Structure and Action Plan of the EAC Political Federation; Implementation of the Framework for Harmonized EAC Roaming Charges; Modalities for Promotion of Motor Vehicle Assembly in the region and Reduction of the Importation of Used Motor Vehicles from Outside the Community, and; the Promotion of the Textile and Leather Industries in the region, and stopping importation of Used Clothes, Shoes and Other Leather Products from outside the region.

According to reports from the Summit, leaders are also expected to deliberate on a report by the Council on the verification exercise for the admission of the Republic of Somalia into the EAC.

Among other things, the Heads of State are expected to launch the new International East African e-Passport (electronic-passport) during the meeting.

Also scheduled to be launched by the Summit is the Private Sector Fund which is expected to deepen the participation of the private sector in the East African integration process.