The newly-elected Uganda representatives to the East African Business Council (EABC) have committed to focus on facilitating business growth in East Africa to position the region to take advantage of business opportunities across Africa and further afield.
Simon Kaheru, the Uganda Chapter Board Chair, elected at the Chapter AGM in Kampala, said the leadership of the EABC would focus on clearing impediments to doing business in the region, and promote private sector leadership of all efforts to support East African Community integration.
“We must all work under the EABC as business leaders, with a specific focus on results that benefit the people of the EAC across the entire region, starting within our countries. There is no way integration will happen simply because politicians have spoken, we have to do work as the private sector to create benefits for the people through our businesses creating wealth for them,” Kaheru said.
Kaheru, who is Public Affairs and Communications Director Coca-Cola Beverages Africa in Uganda, pledged that the EABC would work more closely with all business, trade and economic organisations in Uganda to synchronise and harmonise positions to suit the interests of all parties.
Kaheru also emphasized that EABC Uganda Chapter activities would focus on results rather than activities, and pledged to ensure constant and consistent engagement with the private sector on all issues for quick escalation and resolution.
Also elected to the Uganda Chapter Board were Pheona Nabaasa Wall, President of the Uganda Law Society; Stuart Jason Mwesigwa, Head of Corporate Affairs at Roofings Group; and Businge Rwabwogo, General Manager of Mukwano Group of Companies.
Director Rwabogo said the private sector body would adopt measures to be more inclusive of the youth and SMEs, as they are an active foundation for business and entrepreneurship across East Africa.
Challenged by Charles Kareba to identify what led to the collapse of the EAC in 1977 as a basis for making the EAC work for its people, Director Nabaasa called for more focused leadership across East Africa, and pledged to establish a panel of legal experts to help frame people-friendly policies for the private sector to implement, with the support of the political actors.
The AGM was facilitated by Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), which is the National Focal Point of the EABC in Uganda. PSFU Deputy Executive Director, Francis Kisirinnya, called upon EABC members to remain constantly engaged in order to give the private sector more influence in shaping policies that are EAC-focused and business friendly across the region.
Former EABC Uganda Chapter Chair, Jim Mwine Kabeho, challenged EABC Members to focus keenly on the Africa Free Continental Trade Area in all their engagements, to take advantage of the vast opportunities it offers.
“There are already countries and regional bodies that have moved quickly to understand, popularise and mobilise for the opportunities that the AFCTA presents. If we do not get our act together quickly across East Africa and put a stop to the non-tariff barriers and border closures that we keep seeing in East Africa, by the time we think of going out to the rest of Africa it will be too late. We must wake up now!” Kabeho warned.
The EABC will hold a pre-Heads of State Summit symposium in March to outline issues gathered from across the EAC states.
