by Ferdinand Ruhinda
On his first visit to member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the newly elected Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa found himself confronted with the issue of Tanzania’s position in East and Southern Africa.
In Zimbabwe and Zambia, Mr Mkapa was asked by journalists whether Tanzania was trying to ride two horses — the East African Community for whose revival he is perceived to be working and the Southern African Development Community in which Tanzania is the only member outside the Southern African region.
Tanzania’s position in the East and Southern Africa has always been interesting. Geographically located in East Africa, the country has also been politically and economically involved in Southern Africa. The first country to gain independence in both regions, Tanzania’s foreign policy has always emphasised African unity and regional integration especially in East and Southern Africa.
There are strong historical economic, cultural and political ties between the neighbouring East African countries of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. It is these ties that led the British colonialists to administer the three countries as if they were one country. Upon the attainment of independence, the three at first sought a political federation but eventually settled for the East African Community which was established in 1967.
For as long as it lasted the East African Community served as a shining model of economic co-operation. It had two important aspects the East African Common Market and what were known as East African Common Services: railways, telecommunications and harbours. But the Community collapsed in 1977 because of petty nationalism and the feeling that the benefits of the community were not being equitably shared.
It did not, however, take long for the three East African countries to realise that as neighbours they had no choice but to work together. Joint commissions between the three countries were established but these were eventually seen as not adequate enough for the relations that existed between the three countries. It was while attending the Commonwealth Conference which was held in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1991, that the Presidents of Kenya. Uganda and Tanzania agreed to take steps towards reviving East African Institutional co-operation.
In 1993 two documents were signed in Arusha; an Agreement to establish the Permanent Tripartite Commission for East African Co-operation and the Declaration on Closer East African Co-operation. Towards the end of 1994 the three East African leaders met in Kampala, Uganda and signed a protocol to establish the Secretariat of the Commission with headquarters in Arusha — inaugurated on 14 March.
The Secretariat’s major task will be the co-ordination and harmonization of the policies and strategies relating to East African co-operation. It will propose and administer agreed programmes of co-operation and liaise with the East African forum, a loose association of East African businessmen who are keen on promoting business in East Africa.
According to the Common Text on Identified Areas of Cooperation, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will cooperate in many areas. These include political, diplomatic, security, economic, legal, judicial and social fields. Priority will be given to cooperation in transport and communications, easing of immigration formalities, trade, industries, investment, fiscal and monetary issues, energy, fisheries, agriculture, animal husbandry, environment and tourism. The three countries also agreed to strengthen institutions that survived the collapse of the East African Community. These institutions are the East Africa Development Bank, the Inter University Council of East African and the East African School of Librarianship.
There is, however, no going back to the days of the East African Community whose goal was full economic and political integration. The East African Community is a thing of the past. What the three East African countries are doing is to rationalise their relations and recognise the reality of their neighbourly existence.
At the same time, Tanzania remains deeply committed to regional co-operation in Southern Africa. This commitment is historical. Dar es Salaam was not only the headquarters of the OAU Liberation Committee but of almost all the liberation movements of Southern Africa. It is this historical commitment to Southern African that enjoins Tanzania to Southern African regional co-operation. Current efforts to revive the spirit of East African Co-operation are not going to affect this commitment
for as demonstrated in a number of cases regional co-operation is not geographically exclusive. There is, for instance, the East and Southern African Management Institute in Arusha which serves countries in East and Southern Africa. Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa recently joined hands in establishing an airline, ALLIANCE whose joint ownership could be expanded. There is TAZARA and TAZAMA, jointly owned by Tanzania and Zambia.
For Tanzania, therefore, there is really no choice between East Africa and Southern Africa. Political, economic and geographical realities have determined the country’s destiny in both East and Southern Africa. Tanzania is the cornerstone, the building block connecting East and Southern Africa. It is this reality that led President Mkapa to state in Harare at a dinner hosted by President Mugabe that his active participation in the renewal of the spirit of East African co-operation does not in any way diminish Tanzania’s fervent commitment to SADC.
“One of the things about which I feel proud is to be President of a country that belongs to such a historic and unique organisation (SADC) that takes care of most of our concerns for regional co-operation and integration in a balanced and mutually rewarding manner,” Mr Mkapa added.(SARDC)
