Arusha. The way has been cleared for the full integration of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into the East African Community (EAC).
This follows a recently held capacity-building exercise for officials of one of the new entrants into the bloc on various legal frameworks for integration.
The frameworks include the Customs Union, a key pillar that established zero duty on goods and services traded within the region.
The Customs Union also agreed on Common External Tariff (CET), whereby imports from outside the bloc are subjected to the same tariff when sold to any EAC partner state.
Under the Customs Union, which has been in force since 2005, goods moving freely within the EAC must comply with the EAC Rules of Origin.
According to the EAC secretariat, sensitization of the DRC officials in Kampala also focused on the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) legal framework and procedures.
“The main objective of the capacity-building workshop is to sensitise the DRC officials on EAC regional integration,” the organ said in a statement.
The DRC, a giant country in the heart of Africa, was admitted as a seventh member of the bloc on March 29th, 2022.
The sensitization stint of the senior officials was preceded by a training of 32 DRC border officials at the upcoming Mahagi/Goli (OSBP) between the DRC and Uganda.
The five-day workshop was facilitated by Trade Mark Africa under the funding of the USAID-Economic Recovery and Reform Activity (ERRA) programme.
The training targeted DRC government officials from the ministries of Trade, EAC Affairs, Agriculture, Bureau of Standards, Immigration and Customs Administration.
Speaking during the workshop, a customs officer in charge of trade facilitation at the EAC secretariat, Evariste Munyampundu, underscored the importance of regional integration.
He specifically emphasised the role of OSBPs, saying they were key in setting business linkages that are crucial in enhancing intra-EAC trade.
He urged the DR Congo officials to familiarise themselves with the EAC instruments, including the EAC Treaty and the Customs Union Protocol.
Others are the Customs Management Act, the OSBP Act,the Non-Tariff Barriers (NBS) Act, and the EAC Standardisation, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Testing (SQMT) Act.
The latter Act ensured that products produced in the region were of the required quality so as to facilitate industrial development and trade.
The legal framework also aims to enhance consumer confidence and limit consumer exploitation by increasing the number of products that conform to established standards.
The SQMT Act is also intended to harmonise national and East African standards with international standards to reduce costs, enhance compliance, and develop trade opportunities.
This will, in the long run, increase opportunities for companies within the EAC to participate in international technology transfer and, in so doing, facilitate regional and international trade.
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Tanzania’s opposition party ACT Wazalendo honours veteran politician under new policy
Unguja. Opposition party ACT Wazalendo today officially bids farewell to its former Chairman, Juma Duni Haji, also known as Babu Duni, as part of a new policy designed to honor retired senior leaders at a ceremony held at Kiembesamaki, Zanzibar.
The initiative highlights the party’s commitment to recognizing and supporting individuals who have served with dedication and integrity.
Babu Duni, who stepped down earlier this year, was succeeded by Othman Masoud, now the First Vice President of Zanzibar.
The policy aims to provide ongoing respect and support to retired leaders, ensuring their continued recognition and contribution to the party’s development.
“Recognizing their significant contributions to the development and prosperity of the party, this policy ensures that retired leaders continue to be acknowledged and respected by both the party and the community,” the policy states.
To benefit from this policy, leaders must not have left or been expelled from the party. They must have served the party with honor and dedication. The national leadership committee will determine whether a leader has fulfilled these criteria.
The policy seeks to honor retired leaders, protect their dignity, acknowledge their contributions, leverage their ideas for the party’s growth, and support them to the best of the party’s ability.
In honoring these leaders, the party will provide a vehicle, the type of which will be determined by the national leadership committee. Additionally, they will receive a monthly allowance, with the amount also set by this committee.
Other benefits include health insurance. If a leader does not own a home, the party will cover their rent at a rate decided by the committee.
The leadership committee may also grant special recognition based on the leader’s contributions. Retired leaders will participate in decision-making meetings according to procedures outlined in the party’s constitution.
Depending on the party’s resources at the time, the policy may also apply to retired deputy chairpersons for both the mainland and Zanzibar, the Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General for both mainland and Zanzibar, and the party’s Attorney General.
Additionally, leaders, executives, or members with exceptional contributions to the party’s protection, advocacy, and defense may also benefit, as determined by the leadership committee.
Currently, those who are eligible for benefits under this policy include Juma Duni Haji (retired party Chairman) and Zitto Kabwe (retired party leader).Continue Reading
Africa: Rwanda Gets a Grip Of Marburg, But Mpox ‘Not Yet Under Control’
Monrovia — The Rwanda Minister of State responsible for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera, cautioned that while the country is beginning to see positive signals in its fight against the Marburg virus, the outbreak is “not yet over”. He, however, expressed hope that “we are headed in that direction”. The minister said the epidemiology trend, since the disease was first discovered in the country more than a month ago, is moving towards fewer cases.
Dr. Butera, who was giving updates during an online briefing yesterday, said in the past two weeks, only two deaths were recorded while 14 people recovered from the disease. He said Rwanda was expanding its testing capacity with 16,000 people already inoculated against the disease.
The priority right now, Butera said, is “rapid testing and detection”.
Marburg is a highly virulent disease transmitted through human-to-human contact or contact with an infected animal. The fatality rate of cases, which has varied over the period, is more than 50%, according to the World Health Organization. WHO said the highest number of new confirmed cases in Rwanda were reported in the first two weeks of the outbreak. There’s been a “sharp decline” in the last few weeks, with the country now tackling over 60 cases.
At Thursday’s briefing, a senior official of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, said mpox – the other infectious disease outbreak that countries in the region are fighting – was been reported in 19 countries, with Mauritius being the latest country to confirm a case. He said although no new cases have been recorded in recent weeks in several countries where outbreaks occurred previously – including Cameroon, South Africa, Guinea, and Gabon – Uganda confirmed its first Mpox death. This, he said, is one of two fatalities reported outside Central Africa.
Dr. Ngashi revealed that there was an increase in cases in Liberia and Uganda. He said mpox cases were still on an upward trend.
“The situation is not yet under control.”
Source: allafrica.com
Tanzania PS Wants Greater Public Awareness in Health Insurance
Dodoma — PERMANENT Secretary (PS) for Health Ministry, Prof Abel Makubi, said accomplishing universal health insurance requires greater awareness to members of the public before the programme kicks off on July 1, 2023.Continue Reading
