EAC Integration: Rwanda on track

Rwanda has registered tremendous progress towards full integration into the East African Community, a senior EAC official has said. The country, together with Burundi was admitted into the EAC economic bloc two years ago. Speaking to The New Times on Thursday, Monique Mukaruliza, the chairperson EAC Council of Ministers, noted that as new members of the Community, Rwanda has made substantial progress in implementing the requirements for new members joining the Community. This was echoed by Uganda’s Minister for East African Affairs, Eriya Kategeya. “Rwanda is on course and it has largely fulfilled what was required of it to fully integrate, including aligning the fiscal policies and conducting national consultations about the EAC political federation and implementing the Customs Union,” revealed Kategeya. As part of the integration process the country harmonised its fiscal policy with Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya ,the original partner states of the community who all read their annual budgets in June. Rwanda will also start implementing the Customs Union in July which the original members are in their fourth year of having a common external tariff. In addition, to facilitate implementation of the Customs Union, Rwanda removed revenue roadblocks and opened its borders to operate on a 16 hour a day but palns to extend it to 24. According to Mukaruliza, Rwanda is ahead of Burundi in regional integration. “Though the two countries had the same programme to follow as they fully integrate into the community, Rwanda has successfully integrated but Burundi has had constraints.” she said. The minister cited some of the factors slowing down Burundi’s integration as not having a tax administration body (revenue authority). The country has also faced financial constraints in addition to political instability. She however added that despite the challenges, Burundi is expected to also start implementing the Customs Union this year and adopt the EAC fiscal budget timeframe. With the admission of Rwanda and Burundi, EAC has a combined population estimated to be more than 120 million people and a combined estimated GDP of $41 billion. According to treaty establishing the EAC signed on 30th November 1999, the Political Federation (ultimate goal of regional integration) is to be preceded by three stages; the Customs Union, the Common Market and Monetary Union. Ends

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EAC Integration: Rwanda on track