AfDB Commits More Support to EAC Integration Process

The Executive Director of the African Development Bank (AfDB) for Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda Seychelles, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, Cheptoo Amos Kipronoh, pledged more support to Infrastructure, power connectivity and capacity building for the East African Community bloc. 

Kipronoh revealed this during a Sept. 9 meeting with the EAC Deputy Secretary-General in charge of Planning and Infrastructure, Eng. Steven Mlote, at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.  

The executive director said that investment in infrastructure, power connectivity and capacity building was the key to economic development and strengthening EAC integration. 

He commended the EAC for being the most integrated bloc among the eight regional economic communities (RECs) recognized by the African Union.  

“The AfDB rates EAC very highly. You are truly on course to the Community’s intended objective of transforming the region into a single market for all factors of production for enhanced welfare and economic prosperity of the people of East Africa,” he said. 

He also hailed the governments of the EAC Partner States for their commitment to the integration and urged the EAC Secretariat to continue focusing on removing the challenges to doing business in order to realize value chains in the region. 

On his part, the Deputy Secretary General thanked the AfDB for its continued support to EAC integration and reiterated the EAC commitment to strengthen the cooperation. 

The DSG hailed AfDB for financing a number of infrastructure projects including the Arusha-Holili/Taveta-Voi Road, a transport corridor of the East African region that links the Northern Corridor at Voi to the Central Corridor across the common border at Holili/Taveta through Arusha; Malindi-Mombasa-Lunga Lunga/Horohoro-Tanga-Bagamoyo highway that straddles the coastlines of Kenya and Tanzania, adding that the Athi River-Namanga-Arusha road, which had reduced immensely hours of journey from Nairobi to Arusha. 

Eng. Mlote requested AfDB to consider supporting EAC in economic recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and accessibility of vaccines in the region.  

“Our regional economy has been affected so much due to covid-19 pandemic and we real need urgent intervention to rescue our economy,” said the DSG. 

Speaking on intra-regional trade in East Africa in light of the economic crisis precipitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, Mlote informed the AfDB official that since May 2020, intra-regional trade has shown significant resilience with a notable positive correlation with measures put in place by Partner States to protect transport corridors from severe disruptions. 

On behalf of EAC Secretary General, Dr. Peter Mathuki, the Deputy Secretary General reiterated the EAC commitment to strengthen partnership with AfDB and move it to greater height.  

While in Arusha, the executive director visited a number of projects financed by AfDB in including the EAC Arusha bypass and Holili/Taveta One-Stop Border Post. 

Source: Eac.int