国际英语新闻：EAC member states urged to act on common market

DAR ES SALAAM, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has urged all partner states' action in order to ensure that the region embarks upon the process of implementing the East African Community (EAC) Common Market smoothly. "It should be clear to all that July 1, 2010 marks the beginning of the process of the Common Market stage of integration," the Speaker of the Assembly Abdirahin Haithar Abdi was quoted as saying said in a statement released on Wednesday on the EAC website.

He cautioned, however, that the implementation of the Common Market, which provides for the free movement of labor, goods, services, capital and the right of establishment "will be in a progressive manner."

He observed that "more needs to be done in order to actualize the Common Market Protocol", urging Partner States to "inform the citizens of the Community on the process of implementation of EAC Common Market; amend relevant policies and laws to facilitate operationalization of the Common Market Protocol; and establish requisite structures for implementing the free movement of labor, goods, services, capital and the right of establishment."

In November 2009, the five EAC Partner States, namely Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, committed to a Common Market when the EAC Heads of State signed the Protocol. All Partner States reiterated their commitment to the Protocol by ratifying it earlier this year, paving the way for its progressive implementation starting July 1.

The Common Market cements operations of the EAC Customs Union launched in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in 2005, and in Rwanda and Burundi in July 2009, and will facilitate free movement of labor, goods, services, capital, and the right of establishment in the EAC region.

The EAC regional bloc covers a population of 126.6 million with a combined GDP of 73 billion U.S. dollars, and a development strategy of growing up from a Customs Union, a Common Market to a Monetary Union and eventually a Political Federation.