Ladies & Gentlemen of the Press : Let me at the outset wish you and all East Africans a prosperous 2014. The purpose of convening this media briefing is to notify you of the 4th Meeting of the 2nd Session of the 3rd Assembly. The Plenary takes place here at the Parliament of Uganda beginning today and ends on 31st January, 2014.
On behalf of the Assembly and on my own behalf, I salute His Excellency, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the Government and citizens of the Republic of Uganda for accepting to host EALA. EALA appreciates the wise and able leadership of President Museveni in steering Uganda and for his significant contribution to the EAC as a Member of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State. I further congratulate him on the recently concluded EAC Summit that took place in Uganda on 30th November, 2013.
The Assembly is also grateful to the President for graciously accepting to preside over a Special Sitting of EALA on January 21st, 2014.
We thank our host, the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt. Hon Rebecca Kadaga for granting us access to the Parliament of Uganda and all its facilities for this Session.
To date, EALA has in total enacted 59 pieces of legislation. The current Assembly has passed seven Bills since it was inaugurated in June 2012.
Over the two-weeks, the Assembly plans to conduct the following business:
• First Reading of the EAC Co-operatives Societies Bill, 2013,
• debate on three Bills which are the EAC Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Bill, 2012, EAC Integration (Education) Bill, 2014 and the EAC Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2014,
• debate and adopt various Committee Reports that shall be brought to the floor of the House.
EALA shall also meet with various stakeholders on the sidelines of the Sitting in promotion of the people-centred in line with our EALA Strategic Plan 2013- 2018. Such meetings shall present us with an opportunity to exchange ideas, espouse and strengthen the Community which has now entered an important stage.
As you may be aware, EAC signed the Monetary Union Protocol on November 30, 2013, setting the pace for entry of the third step in the four-tier integration process.
The EAMU Protocol has a road map to single currency and will see the EAC enter into the single currency area by 2024. During the ten years transition period to single currency, different activities will be undertaken including:
a) Establishing and Building regional Frameworks institutional frameworks;
b) attainment and maintenance of the macroeconomic convergence targets;
c) harmonization of: fiscal policies, statistical frameworks, payment and settlement systems; and
d) development of framework for formulation of a single monetary and exchange rate policy.
e) Once implemented, the Monetary Union will enable the EAC to compete more effectively and to further progress the integration dispensation.
Reflecting on the Common Market which is nearing its fourth year of operations, I continue my appeal to the Partner States to amend their laws in conformity towards enabling the full implementation of the Common Market Protocol. The success of this important phase shall no doubt transform and positively revolutionise the EAC region.
We must act decisively to enable the citizens to enjoy the benefits of integration. In my view, if we are to fully implement the Common Market Protocol (CMP) today, I believe we shall have realised well over 75% of the integration process. Although some of the steps taken so far by the Partner States are laudable more needs to be done.
I salute Uganda for it has enacted a new law on insolvency in 2011 that conforms to the Common Market Protocol. It is also looking at its immigration laws. The Common Market Protocol received a major boost by the agreement on the use of Identity Cards as travel documents within East Africa for Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. I look forward to the beginning of its implementation in 2014.
At the regional level, the Sub Committee on Approximation of Laws has finalized review of the laws governing Companies, Insolvency, Partnerships, Business Names Registration, Immigration and Labour and Employment.
It is important to note that the laws enacted by the EAC have the full force of law and take precedent over similar laws in the Partner States on matters related to the Community.
I wish to state that EALA shall continue to play a pivotal role in the integration process by enacting the required legislation and providing oversight as we implement the Monetary Union and continue to strengthen other pillars.
The EAC is looking forward to a year of deliverables. There is certainly progress with regards to instituting the Single Customs Territory, which aims at reducing the cargo clearing costs. The EAC is also set to improve Infrastructural programmes especially in the rail, harbors and water sub-sectors and the oil pipeline project, setting the pace for efficient transporting systems.
Peace and security shall also be a key and fundamental aspect of the Community during this year. While we hail the signing of the Defence and Security Protocol by the EAC Ministers, I reiterate and call on the Defence Ministers and top Security officials from the region to jointly fight transnational crime, especially terrorism.
This year, we also expect that at an appropriate time, the EAC shall send the verification teams into the Republics of Somalia and South Sudan with a view to ascertaining their applications to join the Community. As EALA, we join in the call for immediate cessation of hostilities in South Sudan and for the parties to sit on the table and deliberate on restoration of peace. Peace is a cornerstone for development in any nation.
Finally, I appeal to the media as the Fourth Estate to follow and cover our proceedings and disseminate the necessary information to the public in order to propagate our ultimate objective of regional integration.
I thank you for listening to me.
END
Rt. Hon (Dr) Margaret Nantongo Zziwa
SPEAKER
