GERMANY SUPPORTS PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND ICT IN THE EAC

The Federal Republic of Germany and the East African Community (EAC) on Tuesday, December 6^th, 2016, signed a Government Agreement of 7 million euros. The Secretary-General of the East African Community Ambassador Liberat Mfumukeko signed on behalf of the Community while His Excellency Egon Kochanke, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Republic of Tanzania and also accredited to the East African Community signed on behalf the Germany Government.

• 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.
  

• 4 million euros in technical assistance will be invested in an Academic Center for Digital Innovation. 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 GIZ, the German International Cooperation Agency.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat 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,” said Amb. Mfumukeko.

  

H.E. Egon Kochanke, Ambassador 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”.

Accompanying Ambassador Kochanke was the Country Director of GIZ, Dr. Regine Qualmannand, the Deputy Head of the GIZ Program at the EAC Dr. Kirsten Focken as well as Councellor of the Embassy, Mrs Lena Thiede. Others at the function were EAC Deputy Secretary General Finance and Administration, Hon Jesca Eriyo and Deputy Secretary Productive and Social Sector Hon. Christophe Bazivamo.

Since cooperation began in 1998 the total volume of German support to the EAC amounts to over 240 million euro.

GIZ is providing services worldwide in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. GIZ has over 17,000 staff in over 130 countries, headquarters are in Bonn and Eschborn/ Germany.