Recruitment of staff to work under the East African Science and Technology Commission based in Kigali will kick off soon, the Ministry for East African Community Affairs Permanent Secretary, Innocent Safari, has said.

This follows the approval ealier this month of the commission’s budget by the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

The budget approved amounted to $676 (about Rwf467m) for the financial year 2014/2015.

The Ministry for East African Community Affairs Permanent Secretary Innocent Safari said the approved budget was set to cover the first six months.

The commission had a proposed budget of $1.8m (Rwf1.2 trillion) for the financial year 2014/2015."The funds allocated in the budget will mostly go to staff recruitment (executive and support staff) which will be done in the first six months,” Safari told The New Times last week.

Safari said the recruitment would soon kick off after which the executive would decide on a course of action.

The Director-General of Science, Technology and Research in the Ministry of Education, Dr Marie Christine Gasingirwa told The New Times that the commission will be hosted at Telecom House in Kacyiru, Kigali.

She said the Commission will help strengthen cooperation in science and technology among the partner states.

"The Commission will be responsible for conducting research and advising respective countries on major issues pertaining to science and technology as well as facilitate interaction among scientists across regional countries,” Gasingirwa said.

The Commission is one of the region’s institutions provided for under article 9 of the Treaty establishing the East African Community.

Earlier this year in February, Rwanda signed an agreement to host the Commission, starting July 1, promising to coordinate the development and application of Science and Technology among the EAC partner states.

At the signing of the agreement in February, EAC Secretary General Richard Sezibera, said the Commission would help improve the region’s competiveness in the rapidly changing world.

Burundi is to host the East African Health Research Commission (EAHRC), while the East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC) will be based in Tanzania.

The allocation of the institutions to the EAC partner countries was done in 2011 by the Council of Ministers responsible for EAC affairs.