By George Bukenya
Politics is a huge non- tariff barrier that hinders the improvement and smooth running of trade in the East African Community region.
This was revealed by Uganda’ s representative in the East African Legislative Assembly George Odongo while deliberating on issues that are pertaining business enhancement in the community in a half day workshop organized by the East Africa Community Business Council at Kampala Serena Hotel on November 5, 2024.
“ Politics is a huge non-tariff barrier hindering the smooth running of business in the EAC region. It detoxes our business environment thus hindering trading with each other as member states and this has in turn negatively affect our integration,’’ Odong said.
“ You people in the private sector should fight to get back your space in the East Africa Community because it has been taken and dominated by politics,’’ Odongo advised.
“ You have the potential to reclaim it by playing rightful role to ensure that policies passed are tailored to encourage the thriving and high growth of the private sector,’’ he said.
The EALA legislator also said that leadership is critical, that the character of leadership of partner states coupled by element of protectionism has very much hindered the smooth thriving of business because some countries fail to implement the policies passed by the Assembly due to state individualist interest.
The East African Community Secretary General Veronica Nduvu advocated for the EAC grid something she said that will help to expand the market for the region’s commodities which in turn will lead to smoothing the path for integration.
“As need to have Africa to Africa conversation and EAC Grid if we are to foster economic growth and development in the region otherwise we will always register very minimal growth,’’ Nduvu asserted.
She also said that EAC is still grappling with the same challenges that led to its collapse in 1977 and she called on for a balance between national interests and those of the region if the intended objectives of reinstating are to be achieved.
Uganda’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs Rt. Hon. Alitwala Kadaga who officiated at the event said, although there has been a registered growth in trade among the community member states of 5.45 in 2023 is still very little due to low volume of trade among the members which is currently standing at only 15%.
“The stay of application of policies and regulations passed by the community by some member countries hampers the smooth running of trade in the region. Due to such the region trades more with other blocs outside the region leading to slow growth of the volume of trade among the region members,’’ Kadaga stated.
“ The syndrome of my economy, my workers if not removed in minds of the Heads of States, then the integration is still a dream. For instance, over the last 10 years, only four countries have done the consultations from their communities for the federation.’’ She said.