East African Business Week

KAMPALA, UGANDA - East African Community council of ministers should give priority the issue introducing a regional single visa as one of the ways to attract more tourists.
This followed concerns raised by members of the general purpose committee of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) on the introduction of the single tourist visa for the five member states of the EAC.
"They recommended to the EAC Council of Ministers top consider issuance of a single tourist visa as a priority by next year," said the assembly's spokesman Bobi Odiko.
It was also during the same session that EALA passed a motion approving the financial statement for the financial year 2011/12.
The $109,680,319 budget was presented by the Assistant Minister for EAC, Kenya, Peter Munya on behalf of the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, Hafsa Mossi.
"The Minister suggested that the first measures in the coming financial year for the Community would aim at changing the legal and regulatory frameworks that are not conducive for the thriving of a single market in the region," said Odiko in a statement issued last week adding that the approved budget exceeded the previous 2010/11 approved budget 41%.
Committee chairperson Sebtuu Nassor, noted the myriad challenges the EAC faced during the past financial year that included the late disbursement of funds by the partner states.
 The Committee however stated that notable underutilization of budgets in some of the departments and directorates of the Community and the slow pace of decision making and reiterated the need for remedial measures.
He said  the committee emphasized the need for aligning priorities for absorption of funds and the capacity of departments to implement the activities to expectation.
The Committee further urged the Secretariat to appropriately forecast and to advise the region in times of economic and social crisis.