East Africa: South Sudan Joins EAC Engineers' Mutual Recognition Agreement

8 October 2024
Business Day Africa (Nairobi)

South Sudan has officially joined the East African Community's (EAC) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for engineers, a move set to enhance the cross-border mobility of professionals within the region.

The MRA allows for the mutual recognition of engineering qualifications among EAC member states, easing the movement of skilled engineers across borders.

This initiative, supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU), is part of broader efforts to improve the regulatory frameworks that govern professional mobility in the region.

The East African Community, along with partners, has also launched two key projects--Digitalisation for East African Trade and Integration (DIGEAT) and LIFTED--to establish a digital mechanism for data exchange.

These projects are aimed at facilitating the recognition of qualifications for engineers, enabling the free movement of professionals across borders.

The move is expected to boost the quality of engineering services in the region by promoting a larger pool of experts and enhancing the transfer of knowledge and skills among member states.

Dorcas Omukhulu, the EAC's Principal Education Officer, called for more partner states to join the MRA, urging those who haven't signed the agreement to do so in order to strengthen professional standards in the region.

"The inclusion of South Sudan in this agreement marks an important step for the region's engineering sector," said Benard Kavishe, Chairman of the Engineers Registration Board of Tanzania, emphasising that the decision followed a thorough assessment of South Sudan's compliance with the agreement's requirements.

The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from the engineering boards of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan, as well as officials from the EAC Secretariat and development partners.

The EAC Common Market Protocol outlines the free movement of labor, goods, and services within the region, requiring member states to mutually recognise academic and professional qualifications across borders.

Read the original article on Business Day Africa.

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