The East African Community Secretariat in collaboration with United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), on 1 April 2015 launched a programme on Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Industrial Policy Management, Monitoring and Evaluation at Mt. Meru Hotel, in Arusha, Tanzania.

The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to the strengthening of industrial capacities in EAC Partner States by addressing challenges that have constrained effective industrial policy development/generation, policy performance, monitoring and logic of policy hierarchies, at both national and regional level.

The programme is expected to enhanced industrial competitiveness of the region through the evidence-based design and effective implementation of industrial policies and programmes as well as an increased transparency of information on industrial market opportunities for the private sector.

Addressing the participants during the launching ceremony, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Trade, the United Republic of Tanzania, Mr. Eledi Mussa noted that the launching of the programme was timely because all EAC Partner States had adopted some form of a vision which entails the transformation of their economies into middle income and industrialized status.

The Permanent Secretary commended the very good work done by the EAC Secretariat which has culminated into the launching of the programme.

“Your tirelessness efforts are highly appreciated by the EAC Partner States’’

Mr Uledi noted that the region had limited choices and focusing on industrial development was the only optimal option for poverty alleviation and solving the rampant unemployment facing the youth in the region.

He said that the importance of the industrial sector and especially manufacturing in the region as well as in individual Partner States was the ability to increase productivity, generate income, reduce poverty and provide opportunities for social inclusion.

Mr Uledi disclosed that in the EAC Region, the capacity and performance of the public sector that deals with industry related matters is generally low, and as a results, implementation of industry related policies and strategies had in some case been inadequate, constrained by a number of factors, including poor governance and ineffective monitoring and evaluation framework.

Given the complex nature of an industrial development policy implementation process, the capacities of both, the EAC Secretariat as well as the key stakeholders in the Partner States require substantial enhancement and upgrading, remarked the Permanent Secretary.

On her part, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sector Hon Jesca Eriyo, said although the region had demonstrated progress in its integration efforts, it still faces immense challenges to upscale growth and therefore achieve middle income status.

She disclosed that in the Common Market Scorecard 2014, published in February 2014, the main challenges include; inadequate institutional, national and regional level capacity to domesticate regional policies; inappropriate legal and regulatory frameworks; low technical standards and capacity; a weak private sector; differences in economic development; weak capacity of implementing agencies; inadequate safeguard measures and dispute settlement mechanisms; and disparities in intra-regional trade.

In her speech read by the EAC Senior Industrial Engineer, Ms Jennifer Gache, she noted that inadequate institutional, national and regional level capacity to domesticate regional policies, was especially notable in the public sector that deals with industry related matters leading to inadequate implementation of industry related policies and strategies.

The EAC Deputy Secretary General noted that  the programme will among others equip government and private sector officials with skills and knowledge that will allow for the efficient design, implementation and monitoring of industrial policies and programmes.

The programme will also foster regional integration in the framework of the EAC-Regional Industrial Development Strategy and will take a multi-disciplinary approach involving EAC Secretariat, EAC Partner States and private sector by constituting a Steering Committee which will oversee the implementation of the programme, noted the DSG.

Mr Gerald Runyoro, who represented UNIDO, said the launch of the EAC-UNIDO Programme for Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Industrial Policy in the EAC was meant to mark a fundamental milestone on the path towards the achievement of the main objectives of the EAC Industrialization Policy and Strategy 2012-2032, approved by the East African Community Summit of Heads of State on 30th December 2011.

He said enhancing capacities for industrial policy formulation and implementation, built on solid analytical evidence, was a vital preliminary condition for the achievement of all targets of the EAC Industrialization Policy and Strategy.