Ministers in charge of East African Community (EAC) affairs are meeting in Kampala today to review progress on implementation of agreed on decisions.The 17th meeting of the sectoral council of ministers for EAC affairs is preceded by technical meetings of senior officials and Permanent Secretaries that began early this week.The meeting will also consider a progress report on the implementation of the Common Market protocol, an integration stage that has been dogged by reports of countries dragging their feet in domesticating the protocol’s provisions. “We are looking at whether the plan of action on EAC activities was implemented and also get answers from the secretariat on activities that weren’t executed,” George William Kayonga, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of EAC affairs told The New Times in Kampala yesterday. With a fully implemented Common Market in sight, all the five partner states have to pass a number of laws - an effort that many haven’t yet achieved. The Ministers will also review efforts aimed at internationalizing of the East African passport, a key factor in ensuring free movement of people and ensuring global trade competitiveness.According to the meeting’s provisional agenda, the sectoral council of ministers for EAC affairs and planning will discuss the preparation of an EAC election observation mission to the March 2013 Kenya election.Other issues on the agenda include the region’s five year action plan on combating corruption, the EAC protocol on good governance, and consideration of a report of the 4th meeting of EAC forum of National Electoral Commissions.
