East Africa: EAC Member States Finalise Draft Protocol on Good Governance
By George Okore
MOSHI---The EAC Partner States’ Experts on Legal and Good Governance has finalized the draft EAC Protocol on Good Governance at the close of their three-day meeting in Moshi, Tanzania.
The final draft will be discussed at a multi-sectoral meeting of the Partner States’ Ministers responsible for Good Governance, Ethics and Integrity, Foreign Affairs, EAC, Justice and Constitutional Affairs, among others, scheduled for June 8-11, 2011 in Zanzibar.
Opening the meeting of experts, the EAC Deputy Secretary General (Political Federation), Hon. Beatrice Kiraso, emphasized that the Protocol was crucial especially in view of the deepening and widening of EAC regional integration, with the ultimate goal of a political federation.
”Good governance is a cornerstone of our integration and regional prosperity because it guarantees internal security and stability through accountability,” she told the experts, adding that good governance does not just happen; it is built and nurtured through sustained effort and must be willingly accepted by both the government and the governed.
She said that if the East Africa region was to see lesser conflicts, it has to embrace and address issues of good governance seriously and attain the vision of secured, peaceful and politically united East Africa.She admitted that the draft EAC Protocol on Good Governance was very sensitive but that the region has to apply the best practices to improve the living standards of its people and achieve the ultimate goal of EA Political Federation.
Mr Nestor Kayobera, who chaired the experts meeting, also stressed the importance of good governance for effective and sustainable development of the EA region. The advisor in the Ministry of Justice in Burundi said good governance is critical for overall development of EAC.
To make it comprehensive, the Protocol shall also include issues of Economic and Corporate Governance. The final draft, which has been subjected to wide consultations in the Partner States involving key stakeholders, is due to be presented to the EAC Council of Ministers in August for consideration.
The draft Protocol is in line with the fundamental principles stipulated in the EAC Treaty under Article 6 (d) which emphasizes good governance, including adherence to the rule of law, accountability, transparency, respect for human rights and equal opportunities.
In August 2009 experts convened to incorporate comments from stakeholders including Chief Justices, national parliamentary committees, civil society organizations and national institutions of governance such as human rights commissions, electoral commissions, anti-corruption agencies, among others, and developed the first draft protocol. The draft EAC Protocol on Good Governance is envisaged to be presented to the EAC Heads of Summit scheduled for November this year.