NORWEGIAN STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENCE VISITS EAC SECRETRAIAT

JOLLY MOMENT: Dr. Rotich with Chair of Conservative Party Ms Ine Marie
Eriksen Søreide, H.E. Ingunn Klepsvik and Svein Roald Hansen.

GROUP PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Members of the Committee and EAC officials.

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East African Community Secretariat, Arusha: 

The Norwegian Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence today paid a working visit to the EAC Secretariat to get an in-depth analysis on the EAC integration and development process. The Committee, comprising of eight members from different Political Parties, was lead by its Chair, Ms Ine Eriksen Søreide from the opposition Conservative Party and accompanied by the Norwegian Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Ingunn Klepsvik.

The delegation was received by the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Finance and Administration, Dr. Julius Tangus Rotich.

The Deputy Secretary General briefed his Guests on the latest development in the EAC integration process, highlighting the key achievements so far made which include among others the implementation of the EAC Customs Union and the Common Market Protocols, the negotiations of the single currency which is in high gear, and the ongoing laying of the foundation for the East African Federation.

Dr. Rotich also briefed the delegation on the operations of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and the East African Court of Justice (EACJ). The role of Peace and Security in the integration process, the involvement and engagement of the ordinary citizenry in the integration process, as well as the future expansion of the membership of the Community were some of the issues underscored by the Deputy Secretary General to the visiting Committee members.

The Leader of the Committee, Ms Ine Eriksen Søreide asserted that "the EAC integration project had achieved a lot in quiet a short time and the process was very exciting and inspirational", adding that  "EAC had entered a vibrant phase, and to the outsiders, the integration process was working very well and it is worth emulating".

The Deputy Secretary General was accompanied by the Registrar of the EACJ, Dr. John Ruhangisa; the Deputy Clerk of EALA, Mr. Obatre Alex Lumumba; the Director of Trade, Dr. Flora Musonda, the EAC Peace and Security Expert, Mr. Leonard M. Onyonyi; and the Senior Legal Officer, Ms. Rehema Kerefu.