ARUSHA, TANZANIA — October 4, 2024 — The Republic of South Sudan has officially acceded to the East African Community’s (EAC) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for engineers, marking a significant milestone in the region’s efforts to facilitate cross-border mobility of professional engineers.
The MRA aims to streamline the recognition of professional qualifications of engineers across the EAC partner states, thereby paving the way for their free movement within the region.
The accession agreement was signed by the Registrar of the Engineering Council of South Sudan, alongside representatives from the Engineers Board of Kenya, Engineers Registration Board of Tanzania, Engineers Registration Board of Uganda, and Rwanda Engineering Council.
The ceremony was witnessed by representatives from the EAC Partner States, the EAC Secretariat, and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) through the DIGEAT and LIFTED initiatives.
The Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community provides for the creation of a Common Market among Partner States, with free movement of labor, goods, services, capital, and the right of establishment.
To achieve this, Partner States are required to mutually recognize academic and professional qualifications, experience, requirements met, licenses, or certifications granted in other Partner States.
The DIGEAT and LIFTED projects, jointly developed by the EAC, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the European Union (EU), focus on enhancing cross-border mobility regulatory frameworks and establishing a digital data exchange mechanism to facilitate recognition of qualifications of practicing engineers in the region.
By enhancing mobility, the MRAs are expected to facilitate knowledge and skills transfer, improve access to a wider pool of experts, and promote quality and professionalism in the EAC region.
Speaking during the ceremony, EAC Principal Education Officer Dr. Dorcas Omukhulu underscored the need for Competent Authorities in the Partner States to ensure quality assurance of engineering professionals in the region.
“I also call upon Partner States whose competent authorities have not acceded to the Engineers’ MRA to do so,” she added.
Representing the Engineering MRA Coordination Committee in East Africa, Eng. Benard Kavishe, Chairman and Registrar of Engineers Registration Board of Tanzania, observed that the decision was reached after a comprehensive conformity assessment of South Sudan’s application.
“This historic event will further strengthen the region’s engineering profession and facilitate the free movement of skilled engineers within the EAC, contributing to the overall development and economic growth of the region,” he said.
GIZ Cluster Coordinator Ritcher Bjoern reflected on GIZ’s 25-year support to East African economic integration.
“GIZ is pleased to support the Engineering Boards of different Partner States to facilitate cross-border skilled labor and looks forward to working with engineering stakeholders in the region,” he said.
The accession of South Sudan to the MRA demonstrates the EAC’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation and creating a vibrant and prosperous East African Community.
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising eight Partner States: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia.
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