Bujumbura EAC Common Market talks end

The East African Community (EAC) Common Market negotiations that ended yesterday, in Bujumbura, Burundi progressed well, the country negotiator has revealed. The delegates held talks that drew discussions on free movement of goods, services, capital and people by 2010. Prudence Sebahizi, Rwanda’s Chief Negotiator, said yesterday on phone from Bujumbura that there has not been any disagreement in the talks as all members exercised commitment. “We have covered a number of issues adopted for this meeting,” he said. Some of these under deliberation include harmonisation of agricultural and industrialisation policies. Sebahizi also disclosed that the talks handled safeguard measures against any effects that may arise from the Common Market. Other measures discussed included those that cater for imbalances that may arise from large regional market. The meeting also made interpretations of terminologies in the EAC protocol. The High Level Task Force (HLTF) eighth round talks that began Monday last week also ended yesterday. “There are a lot of issues on liberalisation of services that are not tackled, having made commitments during the last meeting in Kisumu for consultants to make adjustments,” he said. The next and last talks will be convened in Kampala on the 30th of March. This meeting will draft the final report detailing all previous proceedings, which will be presented to regional Permanent Secretaries before presentation to the Ministerial Council. Ends

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Bujumbura EAC Common Market talks end