Uganda ratifies EAC foreign policy protocol

Uganda has ratified the East African Community (EAC) protocol on foreign policy co-ordination, a senior Ugandan government official has said.The protocol, signed in Nairobi in 2010 by foreign ministers of the partner states, seeks to establish common foreign and security policies of partner states. Lawrence Mujuni, the director of regional affairs in Uganda’s Ministry of East African Community Affairs, said the ratification of the protocol will go a long way in helping the bloc achieve multilateral democracy.“We are looking at having one partner state issuing visas and consular services on behalf of other partner states where we do not have missions abroad,” Mujuni told journalists in Kampala yesterday.According to the treaty, the objectives of the common foreign and security policy are to safeguard the common values, fundamental interests and independence of the Community.Uganda becomes the third partner state to ratify the protocol after Kenya and Burundi. “Once we all deposit instruments of ratification with the EAC Secretary-General, we shall market EAC as one investment destination. This will also minimise competition for international jobs in the UN and elsewhere because we shall collectively be fronting one candidate,” Mujuni said.Meanwhile, Mujuni said the matter of forming a political federation for the region will rank high on the agenda of the 15th ordinary EAC Heads of State Summit scheduled for Kampala next month.

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Uganda ratifies EAC foreign policy protocol