African leaders launch new alliance after 23 years

African leaders launch new alliance after 23 years

ARUSHA, Tanzania (AP): Three eastern African countries
launched a new alliance on Monday, reviving a regional
partnership that collapsed 23 years ago amid bitter
recriminations and disagreements over how modern African states
should develop.

In a colorful ceremony in this northern Tanzanian town, the
presidents of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya launched the East
African Community and pledged to work toward regional
integration.

"We have a heavy responsibility to ensure that the East
African Community Treaty is implemented systematically," Kenya's
Daniel arap Moi said, adding that member countries had to work
hard to prevent it from collapsing like its predecessor did in
1977.

Moi, Tanzanian Benjamine Mkapa and Ugandan Yoweri Museveni
have agreed to strengthen political, economic, social and
cultural relations, as well as to adopt a common East African
passport for the countries' 81 million people.

The leaders also envisioned a regional customs regime, a
common market, a meteorological department and free movement of
people within the community without immigration control.

The previous community collapsed after 10 years of troubled
existence due to political, economic and ideological differences.
The first cracks appeared in the early 1970s when Kenya opted for
a one-party capitalist state, while its neighbors embraced
socialism and total state control of the economy.

Uganda was careening into civil strife that culminated in a
1978-79 war with Tanzania. Around the same time, Tanzania had
closed its border with Kenya in a dispute over the future of the
community's physical assets, most of which were in Kenya.

Institutions left over from that period include the East
African Development Bank, the Lake Victoria Fisheries
Organization and the inter-university council for East Africa.

Mkapa said the rebirth of EAC symbolized a long march toward
regional integration with the goal of ending poverty.

"The whole world is moving toward regional integration, and
East African countries can't be left behind," he said.

The presidents signed five protocols covering issues such as
rules for admitting new members and efforts to fight drug
trafficking.

Burundi's President Pierre Buyoya and Paul Kagame of Rwanda
also attended the ceremony. Their tiny neighboring countries have
both indicated interest in joining the EAC.

Mkapa said they could join in the future, but he warned that
this could not take place in an "atmosphere of war, suspicion and
chaos in the Great Lakes region."

Rwanda supports rebels fighting in Congo's two-year war, while
Burundi is in the midst of its own seven-year civil war.

"The war in ... Congo and the war among Burundians is a shame
to all, and we all suffer the consequences in one way or the
other," Mkapa said. A meeting between Mkapa and the four other
heads of state was canceled because they ran out of time.

The three regional leaders signed a new EAC treaty last
November.