The East African Community Secretariat and the European Union (EU) have signed a Euro 2.3 million agreement to improve Maritime Security and create a favourable environment for economic development in the region.

The deal was signed at the EAC headquarters in Arusha on Wednesday by the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Finance and Administration, Jean Claude Nsengiyumva, and Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi, Ambassador of the European Union to the United Republic of Tanzania and the East African Community.

The Maritime Security Programme (MASE) is part of a  Euro 37.5 million package to four regional organisations of Eastern and Southern Africa (EAC, Comesa, Igad and IOC).

According to a statement, the support will, among other things, strengthen the capacities of the four blocs to implement the Regional Strategy and Action Plan against Piracy and for Maritime Security adopted in 2010.

"Within this framework, the EAC will lead efforts to strengthen legal, legislative and infrastructural capability for arrest, transfer, detention and prosecution of pirates, both at national and regional levels,” a joint statement reads in part.

In particular, support will be provided to investigative capacities as well as prisons/correctional services reform and capacity building offered to prosecutors and court staff.

A key deliverable will include support to the operationalisation of the EAC Regional Forensic Referral Centre.

The support will also seek to foster the implementation of the Somalia Inland Action Plan, to develop regional capacity to disrupt piracy financial networks, to enhance capacity for maritime tasks and  improve coordination and information exchange between stakeholders.

The MASE Programme falls under an EU comprehensive approach to fight piracy and complement other EU actions such as EUCAP Nestor and Atalanta missions, the EU military Training Mission (EUTM) for Somalia, and the Critical Maritime Routes Programme – MARSIC.

Nsengiyumva applauded the engagement with the European Union in mobilising resources geared towards uplifting the standard of living of the citizens in the region.

He reiterated that EAC greatly values the strategic cooperation with the EU and regards it as one of its key strategic partners. 

Filiberto Ceriani Sebregondi, the European Union’s Ambassador, said:  "Improving Maritime Security is key to creating favourable condition for economic growth and social development.’’

The signing was preceded by a roundtable discussion on the Business Environment in East Africa as part of the EU-EAC week which will close tomorrow.

It was also attended by representatives from the civil society organisations and the private sector.