David Nalo
2 November 2009
opinion
Nairobi — Kenya's Ministry of East African Community has unveiled a new structure to co-ordinate regional integration.
The move places Kenya in a vantage position to tap the full potential of the region.
The ministry's new structure will see additional directorates being created.
These include the Directorate of Economic Affairs to deal with trade, industry, investment, private sector and Customs, fiscal and monetary affairs.
The Directorate of Federation Matters will deal with the East African Legislative Assembly, defence and security, legal and judicial affairs and the East African Court of Justice.
The Directorate of Productive and Services Sector will be in charge of the environment and natural resources management, agriculture and food security, transport, infrastructure and communication; tourism and wildlife management and investment and industry.
The new directorates will help establish structures that respond more closely to various delivery areas, in line with the ministry's aspirations and EAC's own strategic plan of action (2008-2012). They will also enhance the 17 areas of co-operation under the EAC Treaty and 13 sectoral councils.
Restructuring of the ministry will deepen the understanding on regional integration among Kenyans, improve livelihoods and take advantage of the vast market that the EAC will present.
The move is timely since East African Heads of State will soon sign the Common Market Agreement.
The Common Market will entail free movement of people, labour, services, goods and rights of establishment and residence.
It will end up with a single market of about 120 million consumers with no internal frontiers.
This will catalyse economic growth for the region.
Once the Common Market Protocol is signed this month, the views and interests of various stakeholders will be brought on board, especially after the region has agreed on four pending areas.
These are: free movement of people, the right of establishment, residence and permanent residence.
Kenya, like the other partner states, will have to address various challenges, such as the need to share sovereignty on the regional level for purposes of policy formulation, planning and taxation.
The ministry has also proposed the establishment of a Ministerial Advisory Council.
The Council will be a high-level forum that brings together a selection of critical and luminary stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as donor partners and civil society.
Its main function will be to advise the minister and the ministry on issues relating to the realisation of its objectives.
These include public articulation of the opportunities that arise from the milestones of EAC integration; isolation of key areas of policy and advocacy, and recommending appropriate responses.
Also proposed is an advisory and technical support framework through which the ministry and the EAC will benefit from research, analysis and training.
EAC policy and strategy will require continuous review, analysis and update.
The ministry will need to address issues relating to its human resource and other capacity needs, including overall institutional development and change management.
To realise a knowledge-backed perspective, the ministry will work closely with higher education institutions, the Inter-University Council of East Africa, and other critical stakeholders to spearhead the formation of an East African Studies Research Institute.
David Nalo, is Permanent Secretary in Kenya's Ministry of East Africa Community
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