REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON EAST AFRICAN SOCIETIES AND SECURITY ENDS

The EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa makes the closing remarks at the end of the two day Conference on East African Societies and Regional Securities.

The Executive Director of the African Leadership Centre beams after receiving a Khanga from the Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa.

Hon Mike Sebalu, a member of the Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution Committee makes his contribution at the Conference.

East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania, May 24, 2014: the two day conference on East African Societies and Regional Securities has ended with stakeholders calling for astute leadership, adherence to rule of law and relevant legislation to ascertain peaceful co-existence and security in the region.

Consequently, the EALA is also been urged to address critical areas that fall within its mandate and that address the borderland communities, the bulge on youth and natural resources.

It was indicated that the youth are a responsible constituency to stimulate development and that they need to be involved in decision making and legislative processes.  The youth who constitute a large percentage of the EAC are clearly underserved by state presence, both politically and economically and this pre-disposes them to exist in near exclusion, general poverty and insecurity, a paper presented yesterday by academicians from the African Leadership Centre stated.

On borderland communities, participants at the meeting called for a shift of focus to ensure marginalized groupings are brought to the fore. There is need to creatively think about solutions that will correct the historical neglect and marginalization of distant borderland spaces that are the arena where insecurity is hatched, nurtured and executed.

The conference has further recommended that a specific legal framework on Conflict Prevention, Management Resolution (CPMR) targeting societies be developed.  This can also be anchored by enactment of a relevant piece of legislation.On safety, the delegates reiterated the need for a nexus between human rights and the right to be secure in the midst of terrorism and instability in the region.

Other emerging issues include the need to fully engage the non-state actors in negotiating instruments at the EAC and strengthening of Parliamentary diplomacy to address regional and global challenges.

The meeting which was opened yesterday by the Chair of EALA's Committee on RACR is organized by the East African Legislative Assembly and the African Leadership Centre (ALC) in collaboration with the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) and the GIZ East African Community program.

In his remarks, Hon Zein noted that partnerships were key in ensuring peace prevails and lauded the on-going peace building initiatives in the region.  Hon Zein underscored the need to embrace peace and stability as an integral part to the 2020 agenda and development in the region.

Closing the conference this afternoon, the Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon (Dr) Margaret Nantongo Zziwa remarked that EALA would continue to build partnerships across East African societies to popularize the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security.

The Speaker informed participants that issues revolving on security and defence would continue to pre-occupy and significantly so the global agenda in the wake of international terrorism.

'The UN Security Council under Resolution 1540 has urged Member States and regional blocs to upscale vigilance on issues of terrorism' remarked Hon Zziwa.

'Of recently, the EAC region has witnessed a wave of attacks by the Al Shabaab militia operating from bases in neighboring Somalia.  Mid-last year, a group of gunmen stormed the Westgate Shopping mall in Nairobi killing close to 70 people.  We will also recall the impact of the twin bombings at the United States of America embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi and the ugly attack at the Kyadondo Rugby Sports Club in Kampala a few years ago. These acts inflicted on the people of East Africa, caused untold suffering and loss of lives', the Speaker added. 

In attendance are EALA Members, EAC Secretariat officials, government officials of the Partner States, policy partners and representatives of the Civil Society Organisations.

The objectives of the conference included analysing the emerging security priorities, needs and challenges in the region and to discuss the feasibility of a new vision on regional security and sustainable and peaceful co-existence.  It further anticipated the comprehension of the long-term transformations occurring within East African societies and the corresponding effects on regional security.