EALA members to engage private sector operators on Common Market Protocol

Rwanda’s East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) members will today meet hoteliers, tour operators and transporters to listen to their problems in regard to doing business in the region. This comes as the Assembly works to get to the bottom of various issues affecting the regional economic bloc’s integration agenda. The chairperson of EALA Rwanda Chapter, MP Patricia Hajabakiga, on Wednesday, told The New Times that they will hold a session with players in the three sectors to understand their problems under the context of the East African Community (EAC) Common Market Protocol and Customs Management Act. Hajabakiga said: “We also want to assess the severity of the remaining non tariff barriers. We want to engage people and understand how smooth or not things are moving. We want to know whether what we are usually told officially is the reality on the ground.” “We want to know how the hoteliers are benefiting from the EAC Common Market Protocol. We want to know how many people they receive travelling on single East Africa visa.” According to the lawmaker, the meeting, to be held at the Private Sector Federation (PSF) offices in Gikondo, will also be a good opportunity to mobilise and sensitise Rwandan hoteliers, tour operators and transporters to provide better services. The lawmakers will conclude their country tour on June 28 after holding similar sensitisation workshops with youth leaders from the Southern and Western provinces. EALA says that instead of seeking protectionism, Rwandans should openly compete at the regional level as the most feasible way of ensuring sustainable economic development and wealth creation. The countrywide sensitisation tour also aimed at highlighting the gains of the bloc’s integration agenda. The Protocol on the establishment of the EAC Common Market entered into force in July 2010, following ratification by all the five (then) Partner States: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. South Sudan has since joined the bloc. The Common Market, which is in line with the provisions of the EAC Treaty, provides for Four Freedoms; the free movement of goods; labour; services; and capital, which are expected to boost trade and investments and make the region more prosperous. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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EALA members to engage private sector operators on Common Market Protocol