Heads Up! What's the EU Admitting to the East African Community?

In my view, the EAC is the bomb! It's got a good thing going, what with a language that is unique to the countries of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania; coupled with a culture equally unique to them.

Linguistic barriers are rarely a problem, though I am beginning to wonder what the implications of Rwanda and Burundi joining them might be. It's down to one thing, really, and that's regional security.

I am one of those who espouse the philosophy that my security is your security. In short, security is re-inforcing. It therefore stands to reason why the EAC would like to admit Rwanda and its close neighbour into the community. As the Secretary-General of EAC Mwapachu said in this article:

`If we left out these people (Burundi and Rwanda), we will fuel more conflicts and political instabilities. The best approach is to embrace them to enhance durable peace and political stability,` said Mwapachu.

IPP Executive Chairman, Reginald Mengi, could not agree more with EAC boss when he said sidelining Rwanda and Burundi would not solve security-related problems in the region.

Back to the reason why the EU is implicated in here at all, and we find that it's to do with the earth-shattering statement (fact, I would say), that:

"I mention this to illustrate that there is nothing such as a model of good practice in political or economic integration,"

These were the words of the EU Ambassador to Dar Es Salaam, Baan, speaking at the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology. He further intoned:

I am not revealing secrets if I admit that EU achievements made in the first fifty years came with uncertainties and hesitations and occasionally through painful arguments and recriminations` he said.

I am glad some member of the EU is admitting that their integration project is not the best. I am feeling that Andrew Hurrell is seriously vindicated.

And why wouldn't he? Each region should aspire to build its integration project the best manner possible, witout waiting for, say, an Economic Partnership Agreement that would provide spurious beneficial effects for the Africa, coupled with the dubious claim of facilitating Africa's already-complex regional integration efforts!