Regional communications body sets up secretariat in Kigali

The East African Communications Organisation (EACO) Secretariat was yesterday formally launched in Kigali, 14 months after Rwanda was chosen to host its permanent head offices.The organisation through its board of directors has since been carrying out its duties but with no permanent offices.EACO is a regional body that brings together regulatory, postal, telecommunications and broadcasting organisations in the East African Community (EAC).The secretariat will temporarily be hosted at RURA offices as plans to relocate to permanent offices for the regional ICT organisation get underway.Rwanda was in May last year unanimously chosen to host the head offices of the regional communication body during the 18th assembly of the EACO held in Kigali.Speaking at the event, Rwanda’s Minister of EAC Affairs, Monique Mukaruliza, said the development was an important milestone in the regional integration that reflected the commitment of EACO members to realise their goals without the intervention of the EAC council of ministers.“Every time we hold council of ministers meetings, we look at the protocols we have signed, decisions we have taken and we ask ourselves about the progress we have made. Are we sure that the EAC people have started benefiting from the regional integration we are talking about? So this is really a testimony that East Africans can organise themselves. With this, we have already achieved integration,” she explained.Mukaruliza pledged Rwanda’s support towards the realisation of EACO’s mandate in the region.The event held at RURA premises and Serena Hotel, respectively,brought together among others Ministers responsible for EAC affairs and ICTs from EAC partner countries, EACO members, regulators and development partners from the region.The EACO aims at promoting cooperation and development of the communication sector within EAC bloc.“Our dream of integration to achieve unity, development and cooperation is becoming a reality and this is demonstrated through the establishment of EACO secretariat,” said Salvator Nizigiyimana, Chairman of EACO.Nizigiyimana, who is also the Director General of Burundi’s Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications (ARCT), noted that the secretariat would be the engine to enhance regional development through promotion of communications and integrated inclusions and will deliver the expectations of the EAC member states in ICT.Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and ICT, Jean Philbert Nsengimana, said: “It’s an honour and pleasure for Rwanda to be hosting the secretariat of EACO especially regarding the organisation’s mission of building a digital East African village connected to the global information and communication, economy and society.”“We all know the role ICT is playing and is expecting to play as far as the social economic transformation of our region is concerned and as well as fighting poverty. So this is a big achievement to the regional ICT sector,” he noted.The Secretariat will be headed by Hodge Semakula who would serve as the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer.EACO has three departments each headed by a manager – Legal and Advisory Services, ICT Assemblies, and Human Resources and Administration.“Rwanda as a host and RURA feel proud to have honoured the commitments to facilitate the establishment of EACO secretariat in Kigali after 14 months since the decision was taken,” the Director General of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency, Regis Gatarayiha, commented.According to Kenya’s Assistant Minister of Information and Communications, George Khaniri, the Kenyan government is fully committed to the initiative and would do everything possible to ensure that the organisation’s mandate becomes a success.“We know the economic challenges are enormous. The willingness to set up a solid communications body is very much alive and will encourage all of us to maintain the momentum and build a robust communication sector within the EAC,” he observed.Originally known as the East Africa Regulatory, Postal and Telecommunications Organisation (EARPTO), EACO is a public, private partnership with the sole aim of improving access to affordable and quality communication services to the people of East Africa.

National

Regional communications body sets up secretariat in Kigali