ARUSHA (Tanzania): The 12th EAC Partnership Fund Steering Committee Meeting held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 20 to 21 September has approved a budget of approximately $7 million for the 2010/2011 Financial Year.

The budget will cover 11 key priority areas namely: Support to implementation of EAC Common Market Protocol; Support to laying the foundation for the EAC Monetary Union; Support to EAC Secretariat's Communications, Publicity and Outreach Programme; Support to EAC Comprehensive Sensitization Programme in the Partner States; Support to implementation of the proposed EAC Institutional Framework; Capacity Building of EAC; Support to Key Studies; Support to Trade Facilitation in the EAC; Support to Trade Facilitation in the EAC; Support to Cross Cutting issues; and lastly Support to the EAC Secretariat's Resource Mobilization Office.

The Steering Committee received the Partnership Fund annual work plan and budgets for FY 2010/2011, disbursements expected in FY 2010/2011, and the annual report of FY 2009/2010.

EAC Secretary General Amb. Juma Mwapachu hailed the ‘Friends of EAC' as the Development Partners are known, for their continued support and noted that their disbursements to the tune of $15.4 million to the EAC Partnership Fund demonstrated continued confidence in the EAC regional integration agenda. The disbursements have progressively increased from USD 640,920 in FY 2006/2007 to USD 1,923,000 in FY 2007/2008; USD 6,611,000 (FY 2008/2009); and USD 6,226,875 (FY 2009/2010).

Amb. Toivonen of Finland on behalf of the Development Partners commended the Secretariat for the efficient management of the Partnership Fund. He said the ‘Friends of EAC' welcomed the detailed updates on the Fund and the quality documentation.

He also commended the Secretariat for the key achievements in the regional integration including the full implementation of the EAC Customs Union from 1 January 2010, the signing of the Common Market Protocol in November 2009 and its implementation from 1 July 2010, the good performance of the EAC Capacity Development Action Plan, and the progress on the establishment of the EAC Development Fund. He reiterated the Development Partners continued commitment and support to the regional bloc.

Also in attendance at the Dar es Salaam meeting were EAC Deputy Secretary General (Planning & Infrastructure), Mr. Alloys Mutabingwa, Heads of Missions, the Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of EAC Affairs from the Partner States, and EAC Secretariat officials. The Development Partners' representatives were from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK, U.S.A and the European Union.

Additional information:
The EAC Partnership Fund is a basket fund with contributions from Development Partners to support activities in the EAC.

Its mandate is derived from Article 132 (4) of the EAC Treaty that states that “The budget of the Community shall be funded by equal contributions by the Partner States and receipts from regional and international donations and any other sources as may be determined by the Council.�

The Fund was established in September 2006 by the EAC and six Development Partners namely: the EU, the World Bank, Finland, France, Germany and Norway. It was officially launched in the Financial Year 2006/2007 and is in its third year of operation.