The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is to conduct Public Hearings on the EAC Common Market starting on December 17 to 23.

The Public Hearings will be conducted simultaneously in all the five partner States of the East African Community by the members of the assembly.

The aim of the Public Hearings is to gather the views of the general public on the salient issues that they would like the Common Market protocol to address.

"The community is currently implementing the Customs Union and negotiating a protocol on the EAC Common Market. as the Community progresses to other areas of integration, the Assembly will be required to debate and pass several policies and laws and to exercise oversight action over implementation of various programmes,” said Abdirahin Abdi, the EALA Speaker.

"During the proceedings, the EALA will enact important legislation to deepen and widen the EAC integration process. Through these measures, the EALA will continue to advocate for growth and developments in the region and to enhance the visibility of the East African Community,” he said.

The third meeting of the Assembly will consider and adopt the report of the Accounts Committee on the Annual Audited Accounts of the East African Community for the financial year 2006/2007, the EAC Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency Bill, the EAC Budget Bill, and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission Bill.

The EALA comprises of 45 elected members, 9 from each of the five partner States; 10 members who include ministers responsible for EAC Affairs and their Deputies, the Secretary General of the Community and the Counsel to the Community.

The seat of the Assembly is Arusha, Tanzania but meetings of the Assembly may be held in any partner states as prescribed in Article 55 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.

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