EAC: Experts Meet to Finalize Regional Peace and Security Protocol
By staff writer
ARUSHA— A joint four days meeting of the EAC sectoral councils on Cooperation in Defence, Inter-state Security and Foreign Policy Coordination is scheduled from Monday 16 January to Thursday 19 January 2012 in Arusha, Tanzania, to consider the final draft of the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security.
According to the EAC Deputy Secretary General (Political Federation), Hon. Beatrice Kiraso, the draft Protocol was adopted by the EAC Council of Ministers and referred to this joint meeting of the three sectoral councils for conclusion of policy guidelines on counter terrorism, piracy as well as detention, custody and rehabilitation of offenders.
“Securing and stabilising our region is high on the EAC agenda as all other integration efforts will not bear fruits without peace and stability,” Hon. Kiraso notes.
She adds that: “Peace and security are key in ensuring a stable environment in the envisaged Political Federation of EAC”.
The meeting will also consider the draft EAC Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (CPMR) Framework as well as the progress on the development of the EAC Early Warning Mechanism.
The CPMR Framework includes initiatives on prevention of conflicts, making Early Warning an integral part. It provides for mechanisms of managing and resolving conflicts when they occur, and establishes a Panel of Eminent Persons who will serve as peace envoys or mediators.
On the CPMR Hon. Kiraso says: “It is high time we, as Africans, develop our own home grown solutions instead of looking to international agencies”.
The meeting is also expected to adopt the Eastern and Southern Africa/Indian Ocean Maritime Security Strategy and Action Plan, which has been designed to help combat piracy in the Indian Ocean.
The strategy was developed collectively by the EAC, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and International Organization of Maritime (IOC) in 2010.