DANISH PRIME MINISTER VISITS EAC

The Danish Prime Minister Hon. Helle Thorning-Schmidt today visited the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The Danish Premier held talks with the Secretary General of the EAC Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera covering a variety of subjects, including implementation of the Customs Union and the Common Market protocols; negotiations for the Monetary Union protocol; EU-EAC Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and potential for renewable energy in the region, among others.

Amb. Sezibera, while welcoming Hon. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, described Denmark as “an excellent friend of the Community” which he said was growing with a functional Customs Union and a fledgling Common Market already in place, while a Monetary Union protocol is being negotiated.

“There is a sense of urgency among all of us,” the Secretary General said in affirmation of the EAC’s commitment to speeding up the integration process, expected to culminate in a Political Federation.

He informed his guest the priorities would be moving the bloc from a Customs Union to a Single Customs Territory; implementation of the Common Market; infrastructure development; implementation of the EAC Industrialization Policy; and multi-stakeholder involvement, including the private sector, civil society, women and youth.

On the Single Customs Territory, Amb. Sezibera was optimistic the EAC would be recording positive results soon.

“I expect that this year we shall reach agreement on this. That’s the priority,” he said, adding that the Single Customs Territory would significantly collapse inter-state customs borders, thereby leading to a reduction in barriers to trade in the region.

On the Common Market, the Secretary General said he looked forward to the full implementation of Common Market provisions on free movement of persons and workers, notably by harmonizing the education systems and requirements for work permits in the case of the latter. He noted that the bloc was in the process of developing a Common Market scorecard to track implementation as well as a legally binding mechanism to curtail non tariff barriers.

Amb. Sezibera also said he looked forward to the EAC collaborating with Denmark to tap the bloc’s renewable energy potential.

“This is an area of emphasis for us,” the Secretary General stated. “We want to grow and we want to grow green”. He added that renewable energy was a critical component of the region’s bid to industrialize, noting that the bloc’s energy production levels were far from adequate to if it were to realize the target of 40% contribution to Gross Domestic Product by the manufacturing sector.

He admitted, however, that the challenge for the EAC is that this is a new area and therefore one in which Denmark could provide lessons.

The Danish Prime Minister Hon. Helle Thorning-Schmidt meanwhile affirmed Denmark was “a very strong supporter of regional integration” and said her country had benefited immensely from its membership to the European Union (EU).

Hon. Thorning-Schmidt encouraged the EAC to conclude a deal with the EU on the EPAs which she said would be of benefit to both parties and “will help integrate the region into the global market.”

She asserted her country was a strong supporter of the EPAs.

Also in attendance were Dr. Mary Nagu, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office for Investment and Empowerment; EAC Deputy Secretaries General Dr. Enos Bukuku and Mr. Jean Claude Nsengiyumva; Counsel to the Community Hon. Wilbert Kaahwa; as well as Denmark’s Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania and the to the EAC—H.E. Johnny Flentø, among others.

 Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera (L) and Hon. Thorning-Schmidt (R) during the meeting