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EABC applauds EAC’s industrial strategy idea
2007-08-25 09:32:03
By Perege Gumbo
The East African Business Council has commended the leaders of the five East African Community partner States for their recent decision in Arusha to have a regional industrial and investment strategy in place.
EABC Chairman Arun Devani told reporters covering the council’s board meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the resolution was a positive and timely move.
He recalled that the council last year called for “competitiveness alliance” to help the region speed up its industrialisation process.
“Once instituted, the strategy agreed upon in Arusha will support a framework for the development of equitable industrial development in the region.
However, we would like to call for an all-inclusive approach in the drafting of the strategy,” noted Devani.
He said the council was also moved by the EAC partner States’ decision to have a common regional position on the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, adding that EABC was ready to collaborate.
Following the positive development, he said, the EABC secretariat would soon send out notification to private sector players in the EAC partner States, “with a view to having them also develop a concrete position representing the sector’s common interests”.
“Our council believes that the move by the leaders of the five States will enable it to present a unified position on how to inform and influence governments and ordinary citizens in the region,” added the EABC chairman.
The meeting saw the EABC board members ratify and approve the council’s activities for the coming quarter, including plans for upcoming overseas missions like the energy conference to be held in Germany next month and the Swedish Trade mission scheduled for October.
The board further resolved to carry out special research jointly with selected agencies, members of the business community and other citizens for a better understanding of the EAC, particularly after the recent accession by Burundi and Rwanda.
Devani reported that the EABC has appointed two “observer status” representatives from the two countries to its board.
“We should endeavour to take every step towards integrating the private sector in the region into the EABC.
The EAC’s geographical expansion means that we likewise must make adjustments, taking into account the challenges that come with the transition period,” he stated.
Delegates to the meeting paid a courtesy call on East African Cooperation minister Ibrahim Msabaha and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation deputy minister Cyrille Chami.
They also visited a number of potential EABC member organisations, as it enrolled three new members - Precision Air, Tanzania Cigarette Company and Mukpar Tanzania Ltd.
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