About the Project
Building an
inclusive East Africa Community (BIEAC) project is a two year
program, funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische
Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) that commenced in November 2008 and is
envisaged to end in November 2010. The project covers the five
member states of the East African Community, Burundi; Kenya;
Rwanda; Tanzania; and Uganda. Its main objective being to
support a range of civil society organizations in the region
to examine the implications of external trade policies on the
welfare and livelihood of the people and provide a better
understanding of both challenges and opportunities of trade
integration. This is done through research; awareness raising
and advocacy.
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English,
In French)
Synthesis Report
The BIEAC Project
culminated in finalisation of a synthesis of the two years of
research and its publication in a monograph entitled "Taking
East African Regional Integration Forward: A Civil Society
Perspective". The monograph is the result of discussions on a
draft synthesis paper in the final regional conference held in
Arusha on 2 November 2010. It contains a review of the
research on EAC-EU EPA and regional integration issues, and
the recommendations of the East African Civil Society to the
policy makers and other stakeholders.
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Final Regional Conference
CUTS Geneva Resource
Centre, with the help of CUTS Africa Resource Centre, Nairobi
and other BIEAC partners in the EAC region organised the Final
BIEAC Regional Workshop at Arusha, Tanzania on 2 November
2010. The Conference discussed a Synthesis Paper prepared
based on the thirteen research studies undertaken in the
project, and came up with five areas of work beyond the BIEAC
project. The represented East African Civil Society
Organisations also decided to constitute themselves into an
East African Civil Society network on Economic Issues (EACSONEI).
Report of the Regional
Conference
Presentation of the Synthesis
paper by Dick Kamuganga
Presentation by Victor Ogalo,
CUTS, Nairobi
Presentation by Nestory
Masswe, TANGO
BIEAC Second
Phase Research Outputs
Socio-economic Implications of the Uganda’s Draft
Competition Law: Addressing Challenges at
National and Regional Level
The
Ugandan market is replete with uncompetitive market
practices. The Policy briefs urges on the need to
have a proper competition policy and law in place to
ensure that consumer interests are protected as
government withdraws from active participation in
the market. Moreover, competition policy is also
associated with increased investment and trade, and
has a bearing on national poverty alleviation
effort.
Read Policy Brief
Read full paper
A Case for Trade in the Resurgent EAC: Policy
Challenges and Opportunities
The
divergent trade policies and non-uniform application
of regional instruments in the East Africa Community
(EAC) are a hindrance to trade led development. The
Policy Brief lays stress on the harmonisation of
trade and related policies which is a prerequisite
for the region to realise sustainable economic
development by optimally utilising the combined
resources and reaping benefits from the economies of
scale that come with integration.
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The
Non-Tariff Barriers in Trading Within the East
African Community (EAC)
Trade, as
one of the catalysts for growth within the East
African Community (EAC), has to be properly promoted
for effective integration. The Policy Brief aims at
identifying the existing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)
that hinder the promotion of the regional cross
border trade; and undertaking a review of the
implementation of the current Customs Union Protocol
and business environment promotion efforts.
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Read full paper
Integrating Migration with Development in EAC:
Policy Challenges and Recommendations
Migration,
as a fundamental element for development and poverty
reduction, needs an efficient management. This
Policy Brief aims at analysing the link between a
correct management of migration and the positive
effects it could have on the economic growth and
poverty reduction. It focuses on Rwanda’s migration
policy as an example to underline the efforts that
the country is making in order to become a
prosperous welcoming and secure nation.
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Harmonisation of EAC Tax Policies and Laws:
Proposals for Taxation Regime for Fostering Small
Business Development and Regional Economic Growth
The
harmonisation of tax regimes should be one of the
priorities of the EAC member states in order to
ensure a successful functioning of their common
market. The current wide differences between the
member states’ tax regimes are an obstacle in the
progress of the common market. This policy brief
shall seek to address the importance of small
businesses in the EAC region and provide suitable
approaches to design an appropriate harmonised tax
regime for them.
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Accession of Burundi and Rwanda to the EAC:
Implication for Private Sector Development
The
accession of Burundi and Rwanda to EAC seems to
bring a mixture of positive and negative effects.
There is a need to identify and evaluate the various
ways through which potential benefits can be
maximised and the potential adverse effects
minimised. However, assessments of the economic
situation of Burundi and Rwanda also determine
implications for accession. This policy brief
examines available information with a focus on
Burundi, the poorest country in the region, followed
by a set of policy recommendations.
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How Might
EAC Reduce Negative Implications of Informal
Cross-Border Trade to Support Regional Trade
Integration and Development?
Informal
cross border trade is especially evident in the East
African Community (EAC) and is growing rapidly as a
market response to the cost of meeting the
export/import procedures and doing business through
the formal channels. Its negative effects include
revenue loss, unfair competition and a lack of
quality and innovation. This Policy Brief seeks to
present the implications of ICBT on EAC regional
trade integration, specifically, under the goals of
increasing production, trade, and investment prized
to steer development; the nature of the linkage
between ICBT and formal trade in the EAC and suggest
policy measures to expand formal trade links in a
beneficial manner including for small-scale traders.
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Read full paper
BIEAC Second Phase
Updates
Summary Backgrounder on BIEAC
Second Phase
On December 01, 2009 started the
Second Phase of the Project with a research dialogue with
project partners in the EAC countries. Research and other
activities during this phase focus on issues related to the
EAC integration process.
Background Note
First Quarter
The focus of activities during
this period was preparation of seven research papers on
various issues directly relevant for EAC integration process
that had been selectd in consultation with local partners.
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Second Quarter
BIEAC Phase II research was
completed during this period and the drafts presented to
National Workshops organized by local partners in EAC
countries. A
regional workshop in Nairobi, Kenya was also held
during this period to strengthen the role of civil society in
deepening the EAC integration.
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Third Quarter
In the Third Quarter
of 2010, all the research papers were completed and Policy
briefs based on the research were prepared, published and
disseminated. Project partners held their final national
workshops and two awareness workshops each in all the five EAC
countries. Work relating to the preparation of a synthesis
paper based on th research commenced, as did preparations for
the Final Regional Conference to beheld in Arusha, Tanzania on
2 November 2010.
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Summary
Update of the BIEAC Project: Phase II
In the last quarter
of 2010, all the research conducted in the BIEAC project was
synthesised and discussed in a Regional Conference in Arusha,
Tanzania. Based on the feedback received, a book entitled “Taking
East African Regional Integration Forward: A Civil Society
Perspective” has been published and disseminated. The
project was successfully completed.
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BIEAC First
Phase Research Outputs
The first phase
research papers and briefing papers regarding the Economic
Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EC and EAC have been
published and are the following:
Leveraging the Agriculture Sector through Trade: Opportunities
and Challenges in the EC-EAC EPA
The agriculture
sector plays an important role in the EAC, where 80 percent of
the population lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture
for their livelihood. The EC-EAC EPA therefore presents an
opportunity for the region to explore and enhance the sector’s
potential through trade.
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The Most Favoured-Nation Provision in the EC-EAC EPA and its
Implications
The MFN provision as
included in the EC-EAC EPA implies that any better preferences
extended by the EAC to a “major trading partner” would have to
be extended to EC, while the EC would also extend any better
preferences that it negotiates with third parties to EAC.
However since the EC market access offer under the goods
regime is duty free quota free, better preferences for EAC are
not envisaged....
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Export taxes and EPAs-Another Policy Tool under Threat from
the EC?
This paper examines
the issue of export taxes in the EC-EAC EPA negotiations,
showing that they can still play an important role in
improving the development objectives of the EAC by promoting
value addition, protecting infant industries and improving
agricultural productivity...
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Trade in Services and EPAs: The way forward for the EAC
With an interim EPA
on trade in goods having been agreed between the EC and EAC,
attention in the current phase has turned to the remaining
issues in the negotiations in order to conclude a
comprehensive agreement; these include services
liberalisation. This paper explores what is at stake for the
EAC in negotiating services with the EC; the current state of
play; and the options for moving forward in the
negotiations...
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Standards and Market Access under EPAs: Implications and Way
Forward for EAC
For developing
countries to achieve significant export growth rates there is
need to increase the range of their processed agricultural
products accessing the developed country markets. However,
this has not been the case due to the many supply and demand
side challenges, among which is the lack of capacity to meet
increasingly more stringent food safety and other private
standards as well as consumer preferences in developed
countries. This paper discusses the EC standards and their
implications in light of the EC-EAC EPA and the way forward
for the EAC...
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Revenue Implications of the EC-EAC EPA: the Case of Tanzania
The EC-EAC EPA on
goods spells out among its objectives progressive and gradual
liberalization of the EAC goods market for EC products.
Liberalization will proceed in phases for a period up to 2033.
This will have revenue implications that will ultimately have
an impact on the development needs of the EAC; this is because
the region significantly relies on trade taxes as a major
source of revenue. This study examines the revenue and
development implications of the agreement on Tanzania...
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BIEAC First Phase
Updates
First Quarter
During the first
quarter ending March 2009, awareness raising workshops were
held and the research on seven topical issues regarding the
Economic Partnership Agreement between the EC and EAC
commenced.
Read More...(In
English,
In French)
Second Quarter
In the
second quarter ending June 2009, the research
findings on the various topics selected were
presented and deliberated upon at a regional
conference (Report
of 1st regional workshop) held in Nairobi
Kenya. Other activities during this quarter included
the publication of trade guides as well as revision
of the research papers to include the views and
comments gathered at the regional workshop.
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Third Quarter
During the
third Quarter ending September 2009, the project
activities undertaken included the following:
Awareness raising workshops; Advocacy to advance
Civil Society positions on EPA issues; Networking
with Civil Society Trade coalitions; and Preparation
of Civil Society position papers...
Read
More... (In
English,
In French)
Summary
Update of Building an Inclusive East African
Community (BIEAC) Project: Phase I
In its
first phase the BIEAC project has supported a range
of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the EAC
countries to examine the implications of various
aspects of the ongoing Economic Partnership
Agreement negotiations between the EAC and the EU on
the welfare and livelihood of the people of East
Africa, by providing a better understanding of both
challenges and opportunities of trade integration...
Read
More...
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