EAC cohesion must first address peace in Partner States

IT is no longer a secret that the East African Community (EAC) seeks to progressively transform into a single market that allows for free movement of goods, persons, services, labour and capital while guaranteeing rights to residence and establishment.

With that in mind, the implementation has seen the importance of first laying a peaceful ground, where business or the so called the Common Market-the first of its kind in Africa would flourish.

In the race, the leaders of the member States have sought to work as a team and see into it that any obstacle like insurgents that would hinder free movement of people and their goods are addressed, because it is obvious that you will not enjoy your peace when there is turmoil in the next-door.

It should be noted without mincing words that the EAC has recognised that economic integration can succeed only if peace, stability and security are established throughout the region. It therefore focuses its efforts on crisis prevention, conflict resolution, small arms and light weapons control and the promotion of good governance.

Taking a case study of the Democratic Republic of Congo that became the latest in April 2022 to join the bloc, the EAC Heads of State resolution to send peacekeeping force to the country is a real show that the aim of achieving prosperity, competitiveness, security, stability and political unification in East Africa is practically possible.

If the Heads of the State in the bloc continue with the speed, spirit and morale of seeing into it that first peace prevail in the partner states, definitely other aspects of development will automatically follow as was envisioned by the first EAC, which succeeded the East African Common Services Organisation on December 1, 1967 established by the Treaty for East African Co-operation and signed in June 1967 by the presidents of Kenya (Jomo Kenyatta), Tanzania (Mwalimu Julius Nyerere) and Uganda (Milton Obote).

As citizens of the individual countries forming the bloc, our major work is to cooperate and encourage our leaders to see into it that the cohesion longed for is achieved, this is because as one of the fastest growing regional economic alliances in the world with estimated 283.7 million people, the EAC is widening and deepening co-operation among the Partner States in various key spheres for our won mutual benefit. These spheres include political, economic and social.

As Tanzanians, we should note that the geographical location of our country along the Coastline is an added advantage for further trade in the bloc, especially in fast clearance and movement of cargo from the port to the neghbouring countries (landlocked) which depend on us for their goods to trade with the outside world.