EAC
Monday, March 31, 2014
EAC endorses use of IDs
ENDORSED: Left to right, Kenya’s Mr. Joseph Nyagah, Rwanda’s minister for trade and commerce Mr. Francois Kanimba and Uganda’s Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Amb. James Baba.
A two days ministerial meeting aimed at looking at ways of implementing the use of Identity Cards (IDs), Student cards and the Single Tourist Visa in the three Northern corridor countries (Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda) that involved the Joint Tourism Marketing Committee was concluded last week in Rwanda at the Lemigo hotel.
“We want to see that the use of IDs at borders is effective and easy for travelers,” Joseph W. Nyagah the National Coordinator Northern Corridor Integration Project in Kenya said.
Nyagah said that cargo destined for, say, Kenya from Rwanda it is a simple process since such cargo only has to clear at the Rwandan border but for a person to cross over, they have to clear with the two countries and this is what the meeting aimed at stopping.
He said the issue that has been identified involving Kenya Airways not recognising IDs was going to be looked into when they hold a meeting with the Kenya Airway management.
“We want to reduce challenges faced using the single tourist visa and IDs and also to ensure safety,” he said.
From the meeting, it was concluded that a standard visa should be given to every student 18 years and above, which will promote the education sector in the region.
“We again want to ensure that business people can be able to do business in the 3 partner states without any difficulties,” Rwanda’s Minister of trade and Industry Francois Kanimba said.
He said another meeting will be held in Kenya this week to discuss ways in which this was going to be implemented. Nyagah said that as a committee they were instructed by the three heads of state to facilitate trade and movement of labor and therefore hoped that with regular meetings, a positive conclusion will be drawn and that people will be able to do business in the three partner states more easily.
“Uganda is to waive the need for work permit fees which will facilitate free movement of labor,” the state minister for internal affairs in Uganda Amb. James Baba said.
In the same meeting, an EAC single visa tourist application form was to be established by May 1st as discussed by the JMC members.
The meeting observed that there was need to promote the single tourist visa across the world which will help attract many people to the region hence contribute to development.
By EABW Reporter, Monday, March 31st, 2014