Arusha, EAC HQ. Tanzania, June 25, 2024 – The Minister of East African Community (EAC) Affairs of the Republic of South Sudan and the Chair Council of the EAC Council of Ministers, Hon. Deng Aloor Kuol, tabled the EAC budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025 to the East African Legislative Assembly. In his speech to the Assembly, Hon. Deng, urged the House to “debate and approve the proposals by the Council of Ministers for the budget of EAC for the Financial year 2024/2025”, under the theme: “Sustainable Economic Transformation Through Fiscal Consolidation and Investment in climate change mitigation and adaptation for improved livelihoods”
The Minister presented an overview of the region’s Economic Performance Outlook, Review of EAC Programme Performance for Financial Year 2023/2024; The priorities of Financial Year 2024/2025; The Audit Report for the Financial Year 2022/2023; and The EAC Budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025 and highlighted priority interventions; expected outcomes; budget proposals and allocation to EAC Organs and Institutions.
In his opening remarks, Hon. Deng acknowledged that the EAC Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2024/2025 is coming at a time when the EAC economies are “experiencing unfavorable global and financial conditions which have had negative spillovers from the geo-political conflicts and the impact of climate change that continue to weigh on the partner states’ economic performance”. He also noted the high fuel and food import prices in the region that have made it costly to access financial market access and have put pressure on the exchange rates and foreign reserves.
However, Hon. Deng Added that in spite of those challenges, the economic performance in the EAC region in 2023 continued to improve, recording “GDP growth rates ranging from 2.8% to 8.1%, while partner states economies are projected to continue improving with economic Growth expected to be higher than the global and Sub-Saharan Africa growth rates of 3.2% and 3.8%” respectively, largely because of “strong performance in different sectors, supported by sustained public Investment”.
Hon. Deng outlined priority programmes implemented and key achievements for the Financial Year 2023/2024, in the areas of Regional Security; Private Sector engagement; Trade facilitation; Monetary Union Transparency; Technology innovations; economic welfare enhancement; sustainable Agriculture projects for robust services; EAC Jumuiya Automotive Industry Platform (JAIP) for industry development; and the implementation of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) from Uganda to Tanzania, among others.
The Minister also highlighted key priorities, allocations, and strategies to foster Regional Integration, economic growth, and social development across the EAC member states for the Financial Year 2024/2025 as follows:
1. Regional Peace and Security, allocated USD5.1Million
2. Trade and Investment Promotion, allocated USD4.7 million
3. Institutional Development, allocated USD10.4 million
4. Multi-Sectoral Infrastructure development, allocated USD6.2Million
5. Enhancing Social and Productive Sectors, allocated USD20.3Million
EAC organs and Institutions, allocated USD66.3 million EAC Organs and Institutions which took a lion’s share of this Financial Year 2024/2025 Budget estimates at a whooping USD 66.3 Million were allocated funds as follows:
7. EAC Secretariat: USD51,677,120
8. -East African Court of Justice (EACJ): USD4,858,553
9. -East African Legislative Assembly: USD20,469,040
10. -Lake Victoria Basin Commission: USD7,787,519
11. -The Inter-University University Council for East Africa: USD17,287,618
12. -Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization: 3,109,586 13. -East African Science and Technology Commission: USD2,177,192
14. -East African Kiswahili Commission: USD 1,641,445
15. -East African Health Research Commission: USD2,451,157
16. -East African Competition Authority: USD1,525, 212
This brings the total budget allocation to organs and Institutions for the Financial Year 2024/2025 to USD 112,984,442 with USD67,785,519 (61%) majorly coming from the Partner States’ contributions and other internal revenues, and USD 43,936,292 (39%) (from Development Partners).
In his concluding remarks, Hon. Deng stressed that this budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025 “embodies a strategic approach aimed at fostering sustainable economic transformation through fiscal consolidation and targeted investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation”.
He called up on the “East Africans to continue to tap into the opportunities presented with a bigger and expanded East African Market”.
Meanwhile, earlier on at the opening of the Assembly, the Secretary General of the EAC Her. Excellency Veronica Mueni Nduva took oath as an Ex-Officio of the East African Legislative Assembly in accordance with Article 48 of the Treaty. After taking oath, Mrs. Nduva expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the summit of the EAC Head of states for entrusting her with a responsibility of being the Secretary General of EAC, and thanked the Republic of Kenya for successfully nominating her to this role. She acknowledged the role of EALA in the functioning of the community and she committed to working closely with the Assembly “in pursuing critical goals of deepening economic integration, strengthening Political cooperation and enhancing social cohesion and institutional strengthening”. She pledged to serve the citizens of EAC with “Integrity, dedication and unwavering commitment to our shared Vision”.
Hon. Musamali Paul Mwasa, while making his welcoming remarks to the Secretary General on behalf the Assembly, reminded the SG that she is the “fulcrum, the centre, and the accounting officer” of the EAC, and that the “People of east Africa are looking at you for us to achieve our integration agenda”. He reminded the SG that the “integration of East Africa is a matter of life, and a matter of necessity, it’s not a matter of luxury”. In his concluding remarks, he cautioned the SG not to “dip your hands in the pockets of the community”. The Assembly is the body entrusted with overseeing of the the affairs of the community and “shall not waiver” in executing their mandate, he stressed.
Hon. Dr. Ann Itto congratulated and welcomed the Secretary General on behalf of the women caucus of EALA and expressed her hope that more woman “will be put in charge in other organs and institutions”. She reminded the SG for the need for effective use of the “hard earned resources” of the people of EAC and to ensure that the “pockets of the EAC are safe”, She urged the SG to look into “gender imbalances in the recruitment and appointments” in EAC.
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For further information or media inquiries, please contact:
Nicodemus Ajak Bior
Senior Public Relations Officer (SPRO)
East Africa Legislative Assembly
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255-768-885-633/, +254729157207(WhatsApp)
Email: nbior@eachq.org
Web: www.eala.org
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