President Kibaki invites other African countries to join the East Africa Community.

President Mwai Kibaki has invited other African countries to join the East African Community (EAC) that has proved to be the most successful and integrated regional bloc in Africa.

Saying he personally looked forward to the expansion of the community, President Kibaki said he was proud that during his time in office Rwanda and Burundi joined the EAC.

President Kibaki noted that Rwanda and Burundi had immensely benefited from the community and made the regional bloc stronger and more economically vibrant.

“I am aware that some countries have already expressed their support in joining the EAC. We welcome them and assure them of our support because our vision is to make the East African Community the most successful and integrated bloc in Africa,” President Kibaki said.

President Kibaki said the EAC is one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching integration arrangements in the world that envisions the eventual full unification of the partner states as a single political entity, a target envisioned by the community’s founding fathers.

“I have no doubt in my mind that the founding fathers of our community, would be proud of the steps we have taken to grow their original vision of an integrated East Africa,” President Kibaki said.

President Kibaki made the remarks today at Parliament buildings when he addressed members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), whom he said had a unique opportunity and duty to promote the East African integration process.

President Kibaki said the EALA members should come up with programs that will take the spirit of East Africa from the summits and boardrooms to the furthest points of the region.

“After all it is our people who must see and feel the benefits of integration,” the Head of State of said.

President Kibaki, at the same time, said the signing of the EAC Common Market Protocol, targeted to come into force on 1^st July this year, has coincided with new momentum towards establishment of the East African Monetary Union that the EAC aims to establish by 2012

Saying that the East African Community is set to expand its scope and mandate in the period ahead, the President said the implementation of the Common Market Protocol will make the region more attractive and enable EAC people reap the benefits of increased market access and expanded trade.

Noting that the Common Market Protocol will require amendment of certain national laws and policies, President Kibaki said his Government has constituted a Legal Reform Task Force to identify the necessary legal, administrative and institutional reforms.

In this connection, the President called on the East African Legislative Assembly to be at the forefront in ensuring that implementation of the protocol is smooth, saying he was confident in the Assembly’s commitment and preparedness for the historic tasks ahead.

On regional development, the President said the East African Community’s strategic development plans have been taken to higher stages of implementation.

President Kibaki pointed out that priority is being placed on infrastructure projects including roads, railways, inland waterways, ports and harbours, Information and Communications Technology as well as energy and civil aviation. 

In this regard, President Kibaki disclosed that Kenya is moving fast with the development of the  second port in Lamu  as well as revamping  Mombasa port facilities, which forms  part  of  the East African  infrastructure upgrade program.

“You will also appreciate the great works we have undertaken on the Mombasa to Nakuru Highway while upgrading of the Nakuru to Malaba Highway has commenced,” President Kibaki said.

In addition, the President said Kenya landed fibre-optic cables and connected the region to the world in a seamless manner that promises to revolutionize the I.C.T. sector in the region.

President Kibaki also expressed satisfaction that construction works on the East African Road Network Project and a number of other critical infrastructure projects have commenced.

He cited the Arusha-Namanga-Athi River road, the Power Interconnection Project between Kenya and Tanzania at the Namanga border post and the ambitious East African Railways Master Plan as some of the ongoing infrastructural projects in the region.

The President pointed out that the region has also recorded encouraging progress in other areas as well, saying the EAC Investment Conferences that have so far been held in Kigali, Nairobi and Kampala have become key community programmes.

President Kibaki added that the conferences have realized great success in promoting the region’s economic potential and investment opportunities.

Moreover, the President said, the enactment in 2008 of the EAC Trade Negotiation Act was a major breakthrough in the longstanding endeavor by the partner states to negotiate as a bloc in the multilateral trade fora.

“These achievements have leveraged the community’s image and position in the international trade and development arena.  All Partner States are jointly participating in the negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union,” President Kibaki said.

The Head of state said the community is also at the forefront of the Tripartite EAC-COMESA-SADC initiative towards the establishment of a Free Trade Area of the three major African regional economic communities which will further boost the East African Community market advantage and strength.

President Kibaki said investors, on the other hand, will access more investment opportunities and be able to move their capital freely across borders.

The Head of State pointed out that labour markets in the region will be more liberalized with free movement of labour, thus benefiting both employers and employees from the partner states.

“Cumulatively, it is expected that benefits from the Common Market will stimulate and strengthen our economies, while enabling us to achieve our long term goals of reducing poverty and improving the living standards of our people,” the Head of State said.

The President, once again, assured members of the East African Legislative Assembly of support and wished them success as they discharge their mandate.

President Kibaki added that Kenyans placed high value on the East African integration process and appreciate the role of the East African Legislative Assembly in the integration of the region.

He commended the East African Legislative Assembly for its commitment to putting in place an appropriate legislative framework for the community, pointing out that the Assembly is the body that is entrusted with the powers and responsibilities to drive the integration process.

Saying the Assembly has an elaborate agenda for its meetings, the President said the meetings that will be held in Nairobi and Mombasa will address important issues affecting the East African Community.

“These include presentation of the State of the East African Community Address by the Chairperson of the EAC Summit and presentation of the Budget Speech by the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers,” President Kibaki said.

Other speakers included the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly Abdirahim Abdi and the Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly Kenneth Marende.

In attendance were Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, several Cabinet Ministers and members of the diplomatic corps among others.

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