EAC Ministers to discuss regional framework

Ministers responsible for social development in the EAC Partner States will hold a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya from Monday to Wednesday next week where they are expected to consider and adopt the Draft EAC Social Development Framework. Kenyas Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, is expected to grace the official opening of the session on Wednesday July 6, at the Laico Regency Hotel. The Forum will scrutinize the proposed Social Development Framework whose main pillars are: Health and Medical Services and Education. Other areas are Science and Technology, Sports and Culture; Gender, Youth, Children, Social Protection and Community Development and; Environment and Natural Resources. Experts from the five EAC Partner States formulated the draft EAC Social Development Framework in line with the key priority areas of cooperation adopted by the ministers responsible for social development. “The development of the EAC Social Development Framework is a formal recognition of the fact that Partner States share common interests, ideals and aspirations, and that they face common challenges in achieving economic and social development to be addressed by the EAC as a whole,” said the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Jean Claude Nsengiyumva. In addition to the key pillars of the Framework, the following five issues were identified as deserving particular attention in the East African Community; Disability; Anti-corruption and Rule of Law. Other areas include Drug, Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention; Urbanization; Civil Strife and Conflict Situations. The Ministers’ Forum is also expected to consider a Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism with benchmarks for the social development agenda in the East African Community and to study a proposal for developing an EAC Protocol on Gender Equality. Also on the agenda is consideration of a Report on the achievements of the MDGs at National and EAC levels, consideration of the Draft Civil Society Mobilization Strategy as well as reports on the status of implementation of the recommendations made during previous meetings of the Forum. Ends