 |
 |
|
|||||
|
Issue 00498 |
December 8 - 14, 2007 |
issn 0856 - 9135 |
||||
|
|||||||||||
|
Front Page 3 |
|
Zanzibar to benefit from enlarged EAC market
by
Our Correspondent
The Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Hon Abdirahin Haithar Abdi has said Zanzibar’s interests in the East African Community are well safeguarded whereby Zanzibar participates in the regional organization as part and parcel of the United Republic of Tanzania. The Speaker of the EALA said this on December 3 during a Press Conference at the Zanzibar Beach Resort in Zanzibar, when responding to questions by journalists who had queried Zanzibar's role and benefits she would expect from participation in the Community. The Press Conference was attended by the Secretary General of the East African Community, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu and Members of the East African Legislative Assembly. The Speaker said Zanzibar was not in any way relegated in the affairs of the East African Community. On the contrary, the Speaker said, Zanzibar participates effectively in the Community. He pointed out that out of the nine Tanzanian Members of the East African Legislative Assembly, three were from Zanzibar. Tanzanian delegations to the Meetings of the Council of Ministers, Sectoral Councils, Committees and well the various Task Force Meetings of the Community always included representatives from Zanzibar. The Speaker said Zanzibar participated fully and benefited from the ongoing projects and programmes of the Community, noting specifically the planned development of the port of Zanzibar as well as Zanzibar Airport; and promotion of Zanzibar tourism in a bid to establish Zanzibar as the regional hub of trade, communications and other interactions in the enlarged Community that now extends to Rwanda and Burundi. He said the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba stood to benefit from the enlarged market. The Speaker cited the recent establishment of the East African Community Kiswahili Commission, noting that Zanzibar has applied to host the Headquarters of the Commission. He said the EALA would support Zanzibar’s application and ensure the Headquarters of the new EAC body was located in Zanzibar. He said Zanzibar was the most suitable location of the Headquarters of the East African Kiswahili Commission given her traditional and proprietary links with the development of the Kiswahili language. The Speaker was addressing the Press on the programme of the 4th Meeting of the EALA which will be held in the Zanzibar House of Representatives Chambers from 2 to 14 December 2007. He said the sittings in Zanzibar will provide an opportunity for the Members of EALA to familiarize with the development challenges and potentials of Zanzibar as well as share experiences on Parliamentary and regional affairs with the Members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives. During the two week long meetings in Zanzibar, the Speaker and Members of the East African Legislative Assembly will pay a courtesy call on the President of Zanzibar, H.E. Abeid Amani Karume on 12 December 2007. During the sittings in Zanzibar, the East African Legislative Assembly will hold plenary sessions to consider the EAC Joint Trade Negotiations Bill, 2007 ; the Report of the Legal, Rules and Privileges Committee on Amendments of Rules of Procedure; the Report of the Legal, Rules and Privileges Committee on the Amendments of the EAC Treaty; and the Report of the 117th Meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
