The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Hon. Beatrice Kiraso, has said that regional integration efforts will be seriously undermined if crimes like drug and human trafficking, terrorism and piracy are not properly addressed.

She made the call while addressing the opening session of a two-day meeting of the Heads of Criminal Investigations (CIDs) and Registrars of Motor Vehicles from the EAC Partner States in Kampala, Uganda

She said that a collective approach was required among partner states to tackle these crimes which have unfortunately been on the increase lately and which can deter investors and even harm the very safety of the citizens themselves plus their related developmental activities.

"These crimes need to be addressed urgently or else our desire of making East Africa an attractive investment destination will only remain a pipe dream,” she said, according to a statement from the EAC secretariat.

She reminded them that implementation of EAC integration stages were dependent on a sound and predictable security environment.

"This requires speedy implementation of co-operation arrangements within the EAC Peace and Security sector,” Hon. Kiraso added.

With the signing of the Common Market Protocol, the EAC Deputy Secretary General said security organs, especially criminal investigation, would have to step up their operations.

"This meeting should  reflect on ways of providing investigators increased effective skills and knowledge that will reshape their expertise to identify  a wide range of crimes and utilize intelligence and investigative skills using modern information technologies (ITs),” the EAC official noted.

Hon. Kiraso also noted that issues of good governance are steadily gaining centre stage in the regional integration process, adding that good governance was part and parcel of the fundamental principles of the EAC which provided a solid foundation for stability and development.

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