24TH MEETING OF THE SECTORAL COUNCIL OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR EAC AFFAIRS AND PLANNING CONCLUDES IN NAIROBI, KENYA

The 24^th Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers Responsible for EAC Affairs and Planning concluded on 30^th June 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya, with the Ministers endorsing the candidature of Hon. Dr. Specioza Kazibwe Wandira for the Chairmanship of the African Union Commission. The Republic of Uganda had earlier requested the Partner States to support the candidature of Hon. Dr. Specioza Kazibwe Wandira for the position.

Hon Phyllis J. Kandie, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of East African Community (EAC), Labour and Social Protection, Republic of Kenya chaired the meeting, which was attended by Rwanda’s Minister of East African Community, Hon. Valentine Rugwabiza; Burundi’s Minister in the Office of the President Responsible for EAC Affairs, Hon. Léontine Nzeyimana; Uganda’s State Minister for East African Community Affairs, Hon. Julius Wandera Maganda and Hon. Matia Kasaija, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning. H.E. Amb.  John Michael Haule, The United Republic of Tanzania’s High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya lead his country’s delegation to the meeting.

The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko and other Executives and senior officials from the EAC Secretariat were also in attendance.

Some of the Decisions/Directives and Recommendations of the 24^th Meeting of the Sectoral Council:

1.     The Secretariat to undertake a Joint Security Assessment Mission to the Republic of Burundi to re-assess the Security situation by 31^st July 2016.  The Team to comprise all Partner States representatives and to strictly abide by the Terms of Reference (ToR);

2.     The Secretariat to develop a comprehensive strategic framework with clear timelines on the implementation of the Common Market Protocol Scorecard findings and the Single Customs Territory and report to the 25^th Meeting of the Sectoral Council;

3.     The Secretariat to convene a meeting of Heads of Immigration on harmonization of classification/common procedures and fees for issuance of work permit for citizens of EAC Partner States by September 2016;

4.     The Secretariat to operationalize the Ad hoc EAC Service Commission by 1^st July 2016 and report progress to the 34^th Council in August 2016;

5.     The Secretariat to develop a framework for transition to the proposed Commission within two (2) years taking cognizance of existing studies and other comparative information on other similar Regional Economic Communities;

6.     The Secretariat to develop proposals on sanctions that can be imposed on Partner States that breach the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community in line with Article 143 of the Treaty and report to the 35^th Meeting of the Council;

7.     While the full admission of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) will be confirmed by the ratification and depositing the Instruments of Ratification with the Secretary General (latest by 1^st October, 2016), the Sectoral Council took note of the developed roadmap for the full integration of the new Partner State into the EAC and approved an exploratory mission at the Coordination Committee level with co-opted members from the Secretariat, Organs and Institutions of the Community be undertaken to RSS to engage the Government on its integration into the EAC;

8.     The Secretariat to propose priority areas in the integration process that could be championed by individual Partner States and table the proposal at the October 2016 Meeting of the Sectoral Council;

9.     The Secretariat to compile a draft list of Decisions that could be considered for Decision Making by Simple Majority and submit the list at October 2016 Meeting of the Sectoral Council;

10.  The EAC Secretariat to urgently convene an Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (SCTIFI) through Video Conference preferably by 11^th July, 2016 to deliberate on the finalization and preparation for signing the EAC-EU-EPA being proposed to take place on 18^th July 2016, on the margins of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) XIV Conference in Nairobi, Kenya;

11.  The Sectoral Council adopted the EAC Brand Architecture Concept Note and directed the EAC Secretariat to use the Youth, who have diverse talent in the region, in the process of developing the new EAC Brand Architecture. The Brand Architecture Concept Note proposes to develop a new EAC Logo and Flag; a common unique identifier for all EAC Organs and Institutions and a single primary (main) EAC Corporate Colour and one Secondary Colour; and a single visual identity emblem for the Community; and

12.  The EAC Secretariat to resume meetings in the Republic of Burundi in accordance with the EAC Calendar of Activities.