The Kenya-Uganda border in Busia. After forming a trading bloc, Igad
hopes to negotiate for a tripartite agreement. PHOTO FILE | NATION
Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan could soon become members of a new
common market, further complicating the existing tensions over free
movement of persons in East Africa.
The three East
African Community members are being targeted alongside the other five
members of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (Igad) —
Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan — which is planning to
have a common market by December next year, allowing for free movement
of persons, goods and services in the bloc.
The
decision by Igad to have a common market comes at a time when a similar
initiative in the EAC is faltering, over partner states’ fears of losing
land or jobs.
Tanzania recently seized cattle
belonging to Kenyan, Rwandan and Ugandan pastoralists who had crossed
over in search of pasture, causing diplomatic tensions.
While
EAC member states have not been explicit in creating obstacles to the
common market, reports of routine creation of non-tariff barriers are
common.
Opportunities for youth
Europe,
a region that many African immigrants aspire to go to, is among the
donors funding the creation of the Igad common market. The International
Labour Organisation (ILO) has committed $6.7 million while the European
Union has provided $4.7 million.
Lucy Daxbacher,
project officer in charge of protocols on the free movement of persons
and transhumance at Igad, said young people in East Africa will find
opportunities within the region, instead of being tempted into making
treacherous journeys to Europe or to South Africa.
“Allowing
free movement of persons among Igad partner states reinforces hope in
the population. It provides opportunities for our youth to settle and
establish businesses beyond their country of origin, reducing the
potential for unrest” she said.
Ms Daxbacher added that allowing the youth to become productive citizens takes away the motivation for illegal migration, to Europe or South Africa.
Ms Daxbacher added that allowing the youth to become productive citizens takes away the motivation for illegal migration, to Europe or South Africa.
Chris
Magoba, the spokesperson of Uganda’s Ministry of EAC Affairs said that
once the agreement is complete, the plan would be for Igad to negotiate
with the EAC for an agreement similar to the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa (Comesa) tripartite treaty.
With
EAC partner states belonging to other regional groups like SADC and
Comesa, the three regional bodies have had to negotiate a free trade
area over more than six years.
And despite the 2015
launch, the Comesa-EAC-SADC free trade area has never become
operational, as member countries have over and over missed deadlines for
signing the agreement.
But Mr Magoba said that the
negotiations for agreement between Igad and EAC are possible, as all
member countries like open borders, which are good for business and
employment.
If the process of negotiation takes as
long as the Comesa-EAC-SADC tripartite agreement has taken, it is likely
that Igad’s attempt at common market will be overtaken by events, as
African heads of state have set 2017, as the deadline for setting up a
continent wide free trade area.
So far only Uganda has
agreed to the Igad free movement of persons protocol. South Sudan, the
other country that has so far been consulted, would like to get an
exemption.
Juba argues that people from other Igad
countries are much more educated and would take away jobs from the South
Sudanese, who cannot compete elsewhere, as the education attainment of
the majority in this war torn country is low.
Ms
Daxbacher said that to overcome such hurdles as some countries rejecting
critical clauses in the protocol, Igad is looking to Uganda, which is a
willing participant, to push the others.
But with
tensions among refugee hosting communities and the cattle rustling now
going on in Karamoja, Uganda may not necessarily have a smooth ride in
implementing the free movement of persons protocol.
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