EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi today met with Senators and Representatives of the House of Congress from the United States of America. The delegation led by Senator James Inhofe, Member of the Okhlahoma House of Representatives, appreciated the on-going progress at the Community and lauded the role of EALA in the integration dispensation.
Sentor Inhofe noted that peace and security were key components necessary if the EAC was to spur investments. He remarked that it was important for trade as a founding precept of the Customs Union to be at the forefront of the EAC as an economic bloc.
The EALA Speaker maintained that the EAC was on track and said legislation played a fundamental role in the entire process.
‘We have been consistent when it comes to enacting legislation and carrying out our mandate’ Speaker Abdi said, adding that EALA was advocating for the Partner States to move with haste to harmonise their laws with that of the Community.
‘More needs to be done in terms of implementation especially with regards to the Common Market Protocol. It is not only the legislators demanding the need to move swiftly but the citizens as well’, the Rt. Hon Abdi stated.
The rest of the delegation comprised of Senator John Boozman (Arkansas), Congressman Jeff Miller, Congressman Steve Pearce (New Mexico) and Congressman Vernon Buchanan (Florida). They were accompanied by staff and officials of the United States’ House of Congress and Embassy of the United States of America in the United Republic of Tanzania. In attendance were the Clerk of the Assembly, Kenneth Madete and the Senior Public Relations Officer, Bobi Odiko.
The delegation which was in Tanzania on a two day visit also paid a courtesy call on the Secretary General of the EAC, Amb Dr. Richard Sezibera. Yesterday, the Senators and Congressmen met with the President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete in Dar es Salaam.
The delegation which had earlier on visited the Republics of Burundi and Ghana are scheduled to return back home later this evening after completing the African tour.
The visit by the legislators follows a recent call on the EALA Speaker by Mr. Robert Scott, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the United States of America in the United Republic of Tanzania.
Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt, the Ambassador of the United States of America to the United Republic of Tanzania has since also been accredited as the US representative to the East African Community.
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For more Information, contact: Bobi Odiko, Senior Public Relations Officer; East African Legislative Assembly; Tel: +255-27-2508240 Cell: +255 787 870945, +254-733-718036; Email: bodiko@eachq.org Web: https://www.eala.org Arusha, Tanzania
