Waiguru Calls For Faster EAC Integration

She said the progress made towards making the envisaged regional economic dream a reality had fallen short of the expectations of East Africans since the signing of the protocol in July 2010.

Waiguru raised the concerns while addressing the opening ceremony of the dissemination of the “East African Community Common Market Scorecard 2014, at a Nairobi hotel.

She urged member states to unlock all impediments to realize the goal.

She said EAC was aspiring for a prosperous, competitive, secure and politically united East Africa to promote an enabling business environment without restrictions for free flow of capital, services and goods.

Waiguru asked member states to refocus and rededicate their commitment by breaking barriers that were highlighted in the scorecard for faster implementation of the protocol.

She however insisted on the need to extend the scope of coverage in scorecard to cover other aspects of the protocol.

She appealed to the World Bank Group and Trade Mark East Africa to support the EAC member states in developing a scorecard for the remaining areas so that implementable tools are put in place to monitor the entire protocol.

The dissemination exercise comes following the launch of the EAC Common Market Scorecard 2014 in Arusha, Tanzania on the 18th of February.

The meeting was also addressed by the East African Community Secretary General, Amb.Dr. Richard Sezibera.

Other participants at the event included World Bank officials, the business community, civil society groups and the International Finance Bank.

By Angel Mboya