Address peoples' concern

East African Business Week (Kampala)

East Africa: 'Address Peoples Concern'

Kenan Kalagho

8 August 2011

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Dar Es Salaam — The East African Cooperation can only be implemented effectively within the region if the information gathered within the member states about the achievements and challenges of the Customs Union, Common Market, including other East African protocols are addressed effectively.
Speaking during in Dar es Salaam during the launch of Information Resource Centre (IRC) at the ministry of EAC in Dar es salaam, the Deputy Minister for East African Cooperation.
Dr. Abdallah Juma Abdallah said that the information resource centre aimed at availing information on trade and investment opportunities and also act as a source of knowledge for Tanzanians and East African people.
The deputy minister said that the launch of IRC in Tanzania was one of the good progresses of how the East African states will address issues to its public and this was an achievement being realized as a result of the unity as a result of the states integration since the inception of the current East African Community in 1999. He urged the IRC in Tanzania to ensure that the centre addresses issues on policies made within the community.
"The centre should be on the fore front to collect, organize and disseminate different information being documented in different media houses about the East African cooperation so that such information can be gathered and be accessed to the public in one centered place", he said and added
That the resource centre should act as an information research centre and be able to link and make other EA states have easy access to information. He however noted that besides the achievements attained, like the inception of the customs union in 2005, and the common market in July 2010 there were some constraints like tariff barriers and moving towards having one customs authority which needs to be addressed as far as the EAC is concerned in order for the member states to benefit more from the region.
He also noted that with the massive improvements of science and technology in the world, there was need for the East African community to provide capacity building to its people in order to let the public have access to computer and online information as most of the majority population within East Africa lacks computer skills.
On his part the German Ambassador to Tanzania Mr Klaus Peter Brandes said that it was important to note that integration is a long process that aims at benefiting political, trade, peace and economic growth potentials to its citizens.
Mr. Brandes said that the integration was the best way where progress about the stability, between nations, economic growth, and peace can be observed with an aim of benefiting the people on the ground.
The Ambassador also underscored that information was crucial element in as far as a democratic country is concerned and that there was need to make sure that the EAC strengthen the use of information within its region.