Germany offers 7 million Euros to EAC

Dec 07, 2016

The agreement was signed on Tuesday (dec 6) by EAC Secretary-General, Ambassador Liberat Mfumukeko on behalf of the Community and the Germany Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania who is also accredited to EAC, Egon Kochanke on behalf of his country.

The Federal Republic of Germany and the East African Community (EAC) have signed an agreement of 7 million euros, which support will go towards disaster preparedness and ICT projects in the region.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday (December 6) by EAC Secretary-General, Ambassador Liberat Mfumukeko on behalf of the Community and the Germany Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania who is also accredited to EAC, Egon Kochanke on behalf of his country.

A statement issued by the EAC Secretariat today said 3 million euros in technical assistance will be invested in strengthening the pandemic preparedness of the region. The project will support the operationalization of the EAC Regional Contingency Plan and a regional risk and crisis communication strategy, it said.

Four million euros in technical assistance will be invested in an Academic Center for Digital Innovation, the statement said. The project will support the set-up of a State of the Art Master programme focusing on embedded and mobile systems at an East African University, supporting the development of a skilled labor force in East Africa.

The projects will be implemented by the German International Cooperation Agency, GIZ.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, the EAC Secretary General, Mfumukeko thanked the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for its support to the EAC.

‘'We have truly benefited from the German support which has catalysed other development Partners to support our projects and programmes," he said.

Kochanke said: "Our support underlines that Germany wishes to further strengthen the long-standing and deep relationship it maintains with the East African Community in order to contribute to the well-being and prosperity of its citizens".

Present was the Country Director of GIZ, Dr. Regine Qualmannand, the Deputy Head of the GIZ Program at the EAC, Dr. Kirsten Focken and the Councellor of the Embassy, Lena Thiede. Also the EAC Deputy Secretary General Finance and Administration, Jesca Eriyo and Deputy Secretary Productive and Social Sector, Christophe Bazivamo.

Since cooperation began in 1998, the total volume of German support to the EAC amounts to over 240 million euros, the statement said.

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