EAC OBSERVER STATUS TO AFFILIATED BODIES PUT ON HOLD

GRACE MACHA IN ARUSHA

The observer status by the East African Community (EAC) to the willing organizations has been put on hold.

The process is being reviewed so that only groups that seem to have the potential to benefit the EAC are granted the status.

"Granting of observer status has been in limbo for four to five years", said David M. Onen, the EAC principal political affairs officer.

He said the process would be revived once new mechanisms that will spell the desired criteria, if any, are put in place.

The EAC has since its revival in the 1990s granted observer status to organizations affiliated to it in order to complement its integration efforts.

Most of those granted the status have been business bodies, civil society organizations (CSOs) and, at times, the professional groups.

Among those granted such status  were the East African Business Council (EABC), an apex body of private sector associations.

The Arusha-based EABC was established in 1997 to foster the interests of the private sector  in the integration process.

Its primary mission is to promote sustainable private-sector driven growth in the bloc, now with seven members.

The other is the East African Law Society (EALS), a premier bar association in the region also based in Arusha; the EAC seat.

It is not clear how many other such organizations have to date been granted observer status by the Community.

Mr. Onen remarked on the current status of granting observer roles by the EAC to the willing organizations during a regional meeting for NGOs.

Specifically he was responding to a request by the East African Civil Society Organizations' Forum (EACSOF) to be granted such status.

The Arusha-based Forum was created in 2009  as an umbrella body for CSOs operating in the East African region.

Its core mission is to provide a platform and catalyse a critical mass of organised civil society to engage in the need-driven, people-centred EA integration and cooperation process .

Speaking at the East African Civil Society Summit, EACSOF President Daniel Lema requested an observer status with the EAC for his organization, also based in Arusha.

He said the Forum was among the first CSOs to be set up in the bloc to push for regional integration through people's participation.

The minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups Dorothy Gwajima who opened the summit echoed.

She said the Forum deserved to be given the status given its key role in the EAC integration and that she would push for Tanzania's support on the same.

However, Mr. Onen insisted that the process has for now been put on hold awaiting new criteria being developed "for groups interested to get that status".

He intimated that in recent years there had been many organizations applying for observer status to the Community.

"We are not blocking those willing but we are developing new guidelines so that only those who will benefit the EAC are granted", he insisted.

The criteria used until the  process was suspended specified the groups to be accepted to be those keen on the underlying principles of the EAC.

They should be seen to be able to contribute towards strengthening  the EA regional integration and ability to enhance development partnership.

For the regional organizations, they should have membership in one or all the partner states and are willing to cooperate with the EAC for mutual benefit.

Generally, an observer status would entitle an institution or organization to participate upon invitation to specified meetings of the EAC without a right to vote.