It is clear that the five eastern African Countries, having signed the common market protocol have set their eyes on common currency and a fully operational political federation in as close as five years time. This is earth shaking by any standard. Just think what it translates into when the resources in Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are harnessed and managed on a unitary basis. Imagine what these changes portend for investment when the country specific singular markets morph into one major market with over 100 million demographic potential to build upon.

And what do we still see in West Africa? When will the prospect of a political federation be considered in Ecowas/Ecomog transactions. In nairaland I still see passionate convictions on splitting the country into "belittled Benin", " and Biased Biafra" and a fabricated "Hausa-Fulani" Northern republics.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/-/1066/801792/-/view/printVersion/-/bsqnfk/-/index.html


EAC integration in full gear as common market protocol signed
One People, One Destiny:
By JOHN NGIRACHU in Arusha

Posted Saturday, November 21 2009 at 19:24

In Summary

* Region now sets its sights on a monetary union by 2012 and federation by 2015

The heads of the East African Community have began campaigns for the full integration of the region in the next five years following the signing of the Common Market Protocol in Arusha.

The biggest concern now seems to be getting rid of the perceptions that have plagued the union since the East African Community was revived in 1999, 20 years after the first community collapsed.

In Arusha, celebrations of the 10th anniversary was marked by the summit of the five heads of state and a rally at Sheikh Abeid Karume Stadium that was delayed by rain and ended as night fell.

Tanzanians have apparently been the hardest to convince that the integration of the East African Community is an opportunity to profit from the increase in market size and opportunities offered by a borderless region.

Speaking at the rally, Tanzania’s President Jakaya Kikwete, also the new chairman of the East African Community, sought to dispell the perception that Tanzania would become a market for Kenyan goods.

He described Tanzanian negotiators as the ‘toughest’ during the 18-month talks to come up with the protocol signed on Friday at the Arusha International Conference Centre.

“At one point, I had to personally attend the discussions because the negotiators believed only (former president Benjamin) Mkapa and I understood what the EAC is. The fear by most Tanzanians is that we will become a market for Kenyan goods,” said President Kikwete.

He said the sale of Tanzanian goods in Kenya had increased seven-fold since the year 2000, one year after the revival of the community, and by last year stood at $353 million, up from $48.6 million then.

“Sometimes these fears are useless and indeed baseless because the statistics are there to see. To front an agreement that would be bad for Tanzania would be wrong for me, and that’s something I am not prepared to do,” he said.

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame described the signing of the protocol as a big step forward for the region.

“We are welcoming a new East Africa of common interests and aspirations. The experiences of the last 10 years have shown us that the borders separating us are superficial. It is now upon East Africans to accelerate the pace as the vision of the full integration is now within reach,” he said.

Yoweri Museveni of Uganda immediately said East Africans should prepare to exploit the petrodollars from the oil recently discovered in the north of his country, which would be useful in tbuilding infrastructure.

East African Community officials who spoke to the Sunday Nation bubbled with enthusiasm for the prospect of forming a monetary union by the year 2012 and a political federation by 2015.

Formation of a monetary union would mean the establishment of a common currency for the region, supported by the required institutions such a common central bank.

Deputy secretary-general in charge of infrastructure and planning Alloys Mutabingwa said the current pace of negotiations for the monetary union is impressive, given the history of similar groups lik the European Union.

“The monetary union of the EU took more than 20 years to negotiate. We have set three years as our target, and that tells you how determined we are for the success of this community,” said the official, who joined the EAC secretariat this year.

Friday’s events also marked the beginning of a new regime in July next year when the protocol comes into force with the ratification of the common market protocol by the EAC member states.

This will be done when the protocol is vetted by the necessary bodies, mainly the cabinets and parliaments of member states. It is expected to be a formality since the heads of state have vetted the documents with the assistance of their attorneys-general.

The five AGs gathered after the ceremony to sign their way through piles of documents in two box files for each country.

Mr Mutabingwa said pitfalls and suspicions are part of the natural processes such arrangements confront, especially since “the countries involved are in effect giving up a small part of their sovereignty.”

“Pitfalls and misgivings will always be there, but it is important to have the determination we have, and that’s why you see no state can back away from the EAC,” he said.

Rwanda’s EAC minister Monique Mukaruliza said the ratification process would take a shorter time than in other states as the country was eager to reap the benefits of integration.

In the meantime, said EAC secretary- general Juma Mwapachu, the road ahead is expectedly bumpy, but this should not discourage the expectation that EA citizens could one day describe themselves as East Africans, and not by their nationalities.

I am delighted for them.

Let us congratulate our distant east African brothers on this massive achievement.


Some Nigerians actually think breaking up Nigeria into tiny kingdoms and caliphates will make their lives better. It's all misconceptions.

maybe Ghana will spearhead the one for west Africa or Ghadaffi will start the initiative.

tpia.:

maybe Ghana will spearhead the one for west Africa or Ghadaffi will start the initiative.

I think Nigeria by its sheer might is in a position to take the initiative on this if it is a viable possibility. She took the initiative during the civil strife in Siera Leone and Liberia ( and she is hardly ever credited for that bold action). Nigeria , Cote de Voire and Senegal are probably the best placed economic powers to take the lead here.

tpia.:

maybe Ghana will spearhead the one for west Africa or Ghadaffi will start the initiative.

@Tipia

You and are doing our share of Nairaland voyeurism and we keep meeting in other non political fora. Of late I have been taken up by the tv/movie/celebrities section where I am satisfied that I have defended Omotola's honor like a true Knight in shining armor.

That is beside the point though, what  struck me in our encounter in the travel section was  one of your perceptive comment about our dispositions as Nairalanders and I was awed by that observation knowing that it was, without equivocation, not entirely dissimilar to actuality. U sabi?

^^ you have to break down your big grammer for me, I'm afraid.

I have no idea what you mean.

@tpia

Please apologies in advance, I do not mean to be unnecessary nosey, I am just inquisitive.

1. Are you really the age you claim . . .

2. If the answer is yes, then How do you cope with people with childish and naive mindset on the site . . .

3. If the answer is yes, then How do you cope with getting insulted by users that are barely out of puberty. . .

tpia.:

^^ you have to break down your big grammer for me, I'm afraid.

I have no idea what you mean.

You damn well sabi. I go say you got a knack for conformity to exactitude abi. See!! It is that simple.

No2Atheism:

@tpia

Please apologies in advance, I do not mean to be unnecessary nosey, I am just inquisitive.

1. Are you really the age you claim . . .

2. If the answer is yes, then How do you cope with people with childish and naive mindset on the site . . .

3. If the answer is yes, then How do you cope with getting insulted by users that are barely out of puberty. . .

Yorubas say if you want to catch a monkey you act like a monkey.

naliakar this is also the reply to your question or whatever you call it. btw what's your grouse with omotola? And how does your problem or otherwise with her concern me? Because I'm Yoruba therefore I should care what your opinion of her is? Break it down for me.




seriously though- the current crop of Nigerian youths ages 18-40 seem to lack basic manners and decorum. Must be the effect of all the crossings and break in culture.

even overseas people have better manners than a lot of Nigerians, and the ones on NL seem to have the least home training of all.

I'm not joking oh.

tpia.:

Yorubas say if you want to catch a monkey you act like a monkey.

naliakar this is also the reply to your question or whatever you call it. btw what's your grouse with omotola? And how does your problem or otherwise with her concern me? Because I'm Yoruba therefore I should care what your opinion of her is? Break it down for me.




seriously though- the current crop of Nigerian youths ages 18-40 seem to lack basic manners and decorum. Must be the effect of all the crossings and break in culture.

even overseas people have better manners than a lot of Nigerians, and the ones on NL seem to have the least home training of all.

I'm not joking oh.

@tpia

You are taking it too far. I don't know about young Nigerians being in want of manners. Mine was a harmless banter and I am sorry that we seem to be talking at cross purposes. My apologies.

All I was saying is that you and I have this sense of fulfillment furthering the cause of Nairaland. by contributing variously in different threads. Two; I said that I spent sometime in the celebrities thread and was happy to be able to argue out about Omotola's prowess as an actor because I like her movies. I did not mantion anywhere that I have a grouse with her at all. That had nothing to do with you or Yoruba (where did that come from?) "Monkey to catch a monkey? That one beats me too? I don't know where it comes from.

lastly I gave you credit for being perceptive especially in our exchanges in the travel section and pointed out that in one of those postings you said something that was quite truthful which is what I meant by (a knock of conformity to exactitude" My comment was adulatory not critical.
About young puberty infested Nigerian kids with no manners I cannot vouch for since it has nothing even tangentially related to my acknowledgment of certain opinions you express wherever we turn up as we make Nairaland alive.

If offense taken I take it back and hope we resume the discussion on the economic integration and federation prospect that I so started this thread for.

A West African free trade zone offers limited economic advantages for Nigeria as our trade is mainly conducted with the West and Asia. There is relatively little trade between African nations but having free trade zones is a good start towards remedying that.

we in nigeria dont need no integration with any west african nation

nigeria as a whole is larger than that east african union in terms of population and economy

we have nothing in common with french speaking west africans

what we need is greater nigerian integration

more rail and road links btw north,south east west

paddy_lo:

we in nigeria dont need no integration with any west african nation

nigeria as a whole is larger than that east african union in terms of population and economy

we have nothing in common with french speaking west africans

what we need is greater nigerian integration

more rail and road links btw north,south east west

Your have a point about Nigeria being larger than the east African region in terms of population by about 10-20 million. But you are absolutely wrong about the economic aspect. A combined east African economic giant is way over what Nigeri can ever envision even in the best of her performance.

On another point you hint at, I do not think economic integration and the zero customs tariff protocol are issues that are captive to linguistic barriers. Do I sense a whiff of smugness in your reference to french speaking West African nations. What you say in this regard is a lie.

A combined east African economic giant is way over what Nigeri can ever envision even in the best  of her performance.

wrong again homie, those five countries together economic output is less than half of nigerias

Nigeria, $212bln

(Kenya,rwanda,uganda,burundi,tanzania)all 5 countries together, $74bln

i know u guys on Nairaland dont believe in nigeria much,but at least give her due when its called for

check the link below(world bank stats)


http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=wb-wdi&met=ny_gdp_mktp_cd&idim=country:NGA:KEN:UGA:RWA:BDI:TZA:ZAF&tstart=-315619200000&tunit=Y&tlen=48

paddy_lo:

wrong again homie, those five countries together economic output is less than half of nigerias

Nigeria, $212bln

(Kenya,rwanda,uganda,burundi,tanzania)all 5 countries together, $74bln

i know u guys on Nairaland dont believe in nigeria much,but at least give her due when its called for

check the link below(world bank stats)


http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=wb-wdi&met=ny_gdp_mktp_cd&idim=country:NGA:KEN:UGA:RWA:BDI:TZA:ZAF&tstart=-315619200000&tunit=Y&tlen=48

Well I checked the site. Seems credible too. But that does not foreclose the potential for greater growth even for Nigeria were it to catalyese trade protocal that would see its ivestments spread unfetered to Ghana, Ivory coast, senegal etc and vice versa. the future does not lie in inwardness but it outward expansion like our EAfrican brothers and sisters have.

naliakar:

@tpia

You are taking it too far. I don't know about young Nigerians being in want of manners. Mine was a harmless banter and I am sorry that we seem to be talking at cross purposes. My apologies.

All I was saying is that you and I have this sense of fulfillment furthering the cause of Nairaland. by contributing variously in different threads. Two; I said that I spent sometime in the celebrities thread and was happy to be able to argue out about Omotola's prowess as an actor because I like her movies. I did not mantion anywhere that I have a grouse with her at all. That had nothing to do with you or Yoruba (where did that come from?) "Monkey to catch a monkey? That one beats me too? I don't know where it comes from.

lastly I gave you credit for being perceptive especially in our exchanges in the travel section and pointed out that in one of those postings you said something that was quite truthful which is what I meant by (a knock of conformity to exactitude" My comment was adulatory not critical.
About young puberty infested Nigerian kids with no manners I cannot vouch for since it has nothing even tangentially related to my acknowledgment of certain opinions you express wherever we turn up as we make Nairaland alive.

If offense taken I take it back and hope we resume the discussion on the economic integration and federation prospect that I so started this thread for.

that part of my post was for no2atheism- he was asking me something in relation to a different thread. Its just a proverb meaning when in Rome do as the Romans or something similar.


The omotola thingy is a sensitive one on NL which has caused many wars, so dont be surprised when you see people clashing over the matter.


no offence intended and none taken.

hmm . . . I dunno about this. Its one thing for the likes of Burundi and Rwanda to be joining forces, quite another for a massive country such as ours. We haven't even gotten our own act together, talk far less of venturing a regional amalgation of economies. I don't see this happening anytime soon . . .

How will be called their new common currency?

Horus:

How will be called their new common currency?

It is hard to tell. But one thing makes tghe naming of a common currency easier; Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar have been using common terms for their currency in spite of the differential values. These are POUNDS, SHILLINGS and CENTS. I suppose it will be easier to convince Rwanda and Burundi to drop Francs as a denomination. It has already happened in large swathes of those countries especially after they fell out with Franc and anything francophone in favor of the anglophone orientation.

Nigeria may recline back and gloat in her self sufficient economic domain but only just. it will need Cameroon, Benin Togo Ghana if it is to remain sustainable as a self sufficient and self generating economic powerhouse.