February 17, 2016: The East African Community (EAC) is expected to launch e-passports for citizens of the member states as of March 2016. In a move set to ease movement in the trading bloc.
EAC’s senior official in-charge of communication unit Owora Richard Othieno said the EAC e-passports are expected to be launched at the 17th Ordinary EAC Heads of State Summit to be held in Arusha Tanzania in February 29th.
The launch will be a major milestone towards harmonization I the region following previous delays. The e-passport was expected to be launched in November 2015 but was postponed to straighten pending issues on the travel document.
The e-passport will ease movement in the bloc especially for traders and business people and hence increase the intra-EAC trade in member states; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The EAC has made tremendous efforts to create harmonization in the region in efforts to create a strong trading bloc that is mutually beneficial for all states.
