Arusha, 08 October 2019 - The 30th Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers responsible for East African Community (EAC) Affairs and Planning (SCMEACP) was held at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. Minister of State Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe chaired the meeting where Ministers in charge of EAC Affairs resolved to accelerate a proposal to find an alternative financing mechanism as they discussed ways of pulling the six-member bloc out of its financial hole.

The SCMEACP considered the report on implementation of previous decisions of the SCMEACP; a progress on the status of implementation of the EAC Common Market.

The meeting also considered the status of EAC integration (2000 – 2017); consideration of the global and sector-specific priorities for the FY 2020/21; terms of reference for the formulation of the 6th EAC development strategy (2021/22 – 2025/26). The report of the meeting of Chiefs of Immigration and Directors of Labor; and the status of Partner States’ contributions to the EAC budget were also considered.

Almost a decade after the launch of the institutional review of the East African Community, the EAC Council of Ministers concluded this process. The structure of EAC organs and institutions was streamlined, falling from 529 to 402 staff, with a saving of $2.5 million.

The six – day meeting kicked off with the Session of Senior Officials followed by the Coordination Committee, which consists of the Permanent/Principal Secretaries on 9th October, 2019, dedicated session of the Ministers to receive the report of the EAC Audit Commission for the FY 2017/18 and the annual report of the EAC Audit and Risk Committee for the FY 2017/18 on 10th October, 2019; Ministerial session of Ministers of the 29th and 30th meetings of the SCMEACP on 11th October, 2019; and the dedicated session of Ministers to consider the report of the EAC AD HOC Service Commission on Workload analysis and job evaluation on 12th October, 2019.  

In addition, the Sectoral Council considered report on political affairs, progress  on COMESA-EAC-SADC tripartite free trade area negotiations; proposal for the establishment of a regional procurement web portal; and the revised concept note on the EAC 20th anniversary observance.   

- ENDS -