The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
President Museveni, Magufuli to discuss EPA, Burundi
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and Tanzania’s President Dr. John Magufuli will meet February to agree on East Africa’s way forward on the controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The EPA is supposed to be negotiated between the EU and member states of the East African Community (EAC).
Kenya and Rwanda have already signed the deal but it won’t be operational until all the East African Community member states sign the agreement, which is protested by Tanzania.
Museveni said the EAC leaders need to discuss the issue, point on point because scattering it without discussion would be a mistake. “EPA is also about East Africans. If we scatter it without discussions, it would be a mistake. Am more worried about the unity of East Africa,” he said in Addis Ababa.
EAC Heads of State led by their chairman Magufuli had agreed in September to push to later the bloc’s commitment on the deal to allow more deliberations and negotiations on the matter.
The Tanzanian parliament already voted against signing of the EPA negotiated between the EU and member states of the East African Community.
The two leaders also discussed the situation in Burundi and agreed to meet and to harmonise on how to handle the situation. Museveni is mediator in the Burundi peace process while former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa is facilitator.
