Arusha. A partner state that will not attend key meetings of the East African Community (EAC) without any sound reason will now face the music, it was resolved here at the weekend.

A partner country to EAC is now required to give a seven-day notice in the event it won’t be able to participate in the meeting in question.

“In the event that a seven-day notice is not given and other partner states are already at the venue of the meeting, the session shall proceed and deliberations and outcome of the meeting and decision reached shall bind the absent member country,” the secretariat said yesterday.

The new directive focuses mainly on the Sectoral Council Meetings of the regional organization where important issues for each sector are discussed by senior officials and technical experts from the partner states.

It is at the level of the Sectoral Councils where comprehensive implementation programmes for each sector covering the region are prepared as well as setting out the priorities Sectoral Councils, through their respective committees, also monitors and keeps under constant review the implementtion of the programmes of the Community with respect to its sector.

Following the just-ended meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers here, the Arusha-based Secretariat was directed to report on the absenteeism of the partner states from sectoral council meetings for action.

The ministerial council, which is the policy organ of the Community, directed the secretary general to officially communicate to partner states challenges faced due to postponements of meetings.

These include huge costs incurred through travels by officials to the meeting venues and delays in implementation of projects and programmes of the EAC.

The secretariat was also directed to convene quarterly ministerial sessions for ministers responsible for bloc’s affairs.

Source: The Citizen

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