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Nairobi, August 28, 2004

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda,President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania hold hands after holding informal consultations on E.A.C in Nairobi.

EAC Leaders resolve to expedite integration process

East African leaders have resolved to expedite and compress the process of integration so that the ultimate goal of a political federation is achieved through a fast track mechanism.

In a joint communiqué issued today by President Mwai Kibaki, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania during a summit retreat at the Windsor Golf and Country Club in Kiambu district, the three Heads of State agreed to set up a committee of three people to examine how the fast track mechanism can be achieved.

The communiqué was read by Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister Augustine Nshimye after a day long private consultations by the three East African Presidents.

"The established committee is mandated to commence its work immediately and submit its report to the next Regular East African Community Summit scheduled for 30th November 2004," the communiqué stated.

The three Heads of State further reaffirmed their commitment to a speedy implementation of all the protocols and instruments signed within the framework of the East African Community Treaty.

They directed that all the protocols and instruments not yet ratified by member states should be ratified by November 30 this year.

Presidents Museveni and Mkapa, at the same time, extended their appreciation to President Kibaki for hosting the retreat which facilitated the fruitful deliberations and successful outcome of the summit meeting.

They also took the opportunity to convey their condolences to President Kibaki and all Kenyans following the sudden death of Tourism and Wildlife Minister Karisa Maitha.

Fielding questions from journalists after the issuance of the communiqué, President Museveni stressed the need to accelerate the integration of the East African countries, saying the complete integration was the only way out of the economic marginalization of the region.

On his part, President Mkapa said the East African Community would be a stable regional economic bloc and would survive the pitfalls that affected earlier attempts at integration since the present leaders had a better understanding of the impetus of economic integration.

The East African Treaty seeks to establish, among the member states, a customs union, a common market, a monetary union and a political federation to ensure balanced development and sustained expansion of economic activities for the benefit of the member states.