Business : EABC leaders Urge EAC Heads of State to Maintain Political Stability

DAILY NEWS REPORTER IN ARUSHA 

BUSINESS leaders in the East African Community (EAC) have appealed to Heads of State in the regional bloc to maintain political stability towards favourable business and investment environment for the private sector to operate smoothly.

The call was made here by the Chairperson of the East African Business Council (EABC), Mr Felix Mosha, when briefing journalists after the council’s board meeting. Mr Mosha in particular appealed to the leaders to address the political confusion in South Sudan to enable businesspersons in the bloc to operate in friendly environment.

The business leader pointed to the fact that member states of the EAC face different challenges for business and investment which respective countries need to iron out. “Each country in the regional bloc faces dissimilar challenges which need to be addressed to boost trade and investment between the countries,” Mr Mosha said.

Officiating at the EABC’s board meeting earlier, the Secretary General of the EAC, Ambassador Liberat Mfumukeko, pledged to grant maximum cooperation to business community in the regional bloc to operate without hindrances.

It was the first meeting for the EAC’s top technocrat and the business community in the EAC since Amb Mfumukeko took over the position. “I pledge to closely cooperate with the EABC in addressing various challenges facing the private sector within the bloc,” he promised.

Delegates at the meeting urged member countries in the EAC to put in place favourable and harmonised policies to link business persons in the regional grouping.

A member of the EABC board from Tanzania, Mr Kakee Dharwal, stressed on the need by the member countries to draft harmonised policies to enable the private sector operates smoothly.

The sentiments were shared by Mr Jimmy Kadeho, who urged further that the countries should maintain political stability for private sector to operate.