EAC mulls stamping out terrorism to improve regional ties

Arusha. The East African Community (EAC) has expressed its concern about terrorist acts and transnational organised crimes.

It says countering them would facilitate cross-border trade and the free movement of people, labour, services and capital.

The regional organisation called on the eight partner states to collaborate to counter terrorism and transnational crimes.

The appeal was made by the EAC deputy secretary general in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth.

He was speaking during the just-ended Regional Conference on Immigration and Border Governance in Bujumbura, Burundi.

“It is critical for partner states to work together to ensure that the people gain the fruits of integration, such as improved livelihoods," he said.

One of the key areas of the EAC integration process, he noted, was to promote and strengthen peace and security in the region and good neighbourliness.

But Mr Malueth said the regional body was increasingly worried by the escalating terrorist acts and cross-border crimes in the region.

These manifest in the form of organised violence, financial crimes, narcotics and human trafficking, migrant smuggling, piracy and cybercrime. 

The conference in Bujumbura was aimed at exploring the ever-changing migration dynamics and landscapes in the vast EAC.

It was also geared to focus on how better and more integrated migration management can support development issues within the region.

"It gave us an opportunity to identify key achievements while highlighting challenges that would require additional concerted efforts amongst the partner states".

The deputy SG outlined measures being taken by the EAC to streamline immigration services and put effective border governance in place.

They include the EAC Regional Strategy for Peace and Security, the EAC Transboundary Security Framework, the One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) Act and Regulations thereunder.

He further disclosed that the EAC refugee policy was being finalised and that it would set common standards for handling refugee matters in the region.

Mr. Maleuth underscored the EAC's commitment to continue working with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and other partners in the same pursuit.

IOM, an international body tasked with promoting humane and orderly migration of people, has been working closely with the EAC.

The technical assistance includes preventing irregular movement of people across the EAC borders, human trafficking, detection of cross-border crimes and terrorism.

IOM, a UN body founded in 1951, implements operational assistance programmes for migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees and migrant workers.

The deputy SG also called upon the EAC states to strengthen their research capacity to prevent risk factors for transnational organised crime and terrorism.

For her part, the IOM representative in Burundi, Ms Vijaya Souri, said strengthening border governance was critical to taming cross-border crimes.

It is essential to effectively manage migration flows by investing in infrastructure, technology and training for border officials.

She said that while various regional obligations on regular pathways for immigration exist, their implementation and operationalisation need to be enhanced across the region.