The newly signed deal aimed at expediting integration between Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda is laudable and marks a major step towards improving regional trade and investment.
With a joint population of 135.4 million, the East African Community market presents a massive opportunity for growth and all the five-member countries should strive to benefit from it.
The launch of a common market in July 2010 presented hope for robust trade within EAC.
A few bottlenecks however still stand in the path towards full realisation of the fruits of a seamless market where partner States would be guaranteed duty- free trade and free movement of labour and capital among its members.
One of the biggest challenges to businesses growth in EAC is the fact that the five partner States are yet to align their national laws with those of the bloc, seriously undermining the utilisation of resources within the bloc.
On Tuesday, a meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame handed an impetus to the integration process by instituting measures to counter draw backs such as dumping of goods on transit and freer movement of labour.
Tanzania and Burundi should strive not to be left out of this latest drive for the sake of progress in the bloc.
The signing of the agreement is, however, not enough and the leaders must now urgently walk- the -talk if any meaningful results are be realised.
The Heads of State must now show leadership by ensuring their plans are fully implemented.
This requires commitment and trust for each other or the dreams of integration risk being washed down the drain.
New systems such as a common market come with risks and EAC countries must accept this fact and stay guided by the bigger picture of the gains that would come with the adoption of a harmonised market platform.
Member of the EAC should particularly pay keen attention to the adoption of the one-stop-border post concept that is targeted at harmonising transit clearance procedures.
The essence here will be having officers from two bordering countries sit under one roof and handle transit documents concurrently in order to save on time and costs.
Currently, traders in the region are hampered by strenuous customs clearance procedures in which goods are separately inspected by officers on either side of the border, leading to massive delays.
This situation often leads to graft as impatient truckers and traders resort to offering bribes either to jump queues or expedite clearance of their cargo.
NMG
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