EAC and Peace & Security
A stable, safe and conflict free environment is a condition sine qua non for a successful regional integration. Therefore, the EAC adopted a regional Peace and Security Strategy in 2006. The strategy aims to achieve a peaceful and integrated region by enabling and enforcing collaboration between Partner States in preventing and resolving disputes and conflicts and ridding the region of cross-border crimes such as trafficking and smuggling as well as terrorism. The EAC remains very committed and dynamic in order to respond to the nature and form of the ever-evolving security threats.
The German Government supports this EAC Sector as cooperation outside the Core Area of EAC-German cooperation – in the Area of “Security” in the Intervention Area of “Border Management”. The cooperation directly contributes to implement one of the eight priority areas defined by the 6th EAC Development Strategy, namely “Strengthening Regional Peace and Good Governance”. The BMZ 2030 reform strategy focuses on a new quality of cooperation. More information on BMZ 2030 can be found here.
Peace & Security
EAC-Germany Support
Transboundary Security
While integration requires open borders for free movement of people and goods, it is to be paired with effective border management to avoid criminal abuses. To attain a safe and secured region, EAC-Germany cooperates with the EAC on using coordinated border management to mitigate cross-border security threats. The cooperation has led to the establishment of the EAC framework on transboundary security. On the one hand, the framework focuses on identifying the main regional security threats facilitated by long and porous borders. On the other hand, it brings together border agencies to adopt a coordinated approach in tackling the shared scourge. Human and goods trafficking and smuggling, cross-border cattle and vehicle theft and reselling, conflicts between neighboring communities and other threats are tackled through cooperation within and between different border agencies and communities of neighboring countries for intelligence sharing and joint operations on either side of the border. This ensures that the common challenge is jointly tackled, leaving perpetrators with less chances to escape the law.Projects:
GIZ-AUBP (GIZ)
Objective: The AU Member States implement conflict-preventive border governance initiatives - such as the definition of their borders and border cooperation projects - in line with the policies of the AU and RECs.
Approach: Delimitation and Demarcation – The project supports selected States to better define their borders and to use improved planning and technical capabilities for joint border definition. The better definition of borders includes increasing the number (densification) and renewal of dilapidated border markings, as well as mapping border areas.
Find more information on GIZ-AUBP here.
Preventing Conflicts in the Region
Disputes and conflicts in many parts of the world arise from unclear or unagreed upon border lines. While the EAC region enjoys relatively peaceful relations between states, some border areas remain claimed by one or another state or community with a potential for escalation especially when natural resources are involved. Furthermore, with several pastoralist communities informally crossing border points in search for grasing lands, clashes at community level have proved the need for preventing further conflicts. In this regard, setting up a conflict prevention mechanism to minimise conflict potential is being explored within the mandate of early warning and engaging with local level joint cross-border committees for joint solutions and prevention of further disputes between border communities.Projects:
GIZ-AUBP (GIZ)
Objective: The AU Member States implement conflict-preventive border governance initiatives - such as the definition of their borders and border cooperation projects - in line with the policies of the AU and RECs.
Approach: Strengthening the AU and RECs – Selected RECs are strengthened in supporting border governance initiatives of their States. The project works with the AUC and the RECs to improve their capabilities to exercise their roles as norm developers, multipliers and coordination platforms. The project aims at increasing the added value of the AUC for the states and to further strengthen the AUBP unit as a pacemaker of the border governance agenda and multiplier of AU legal instruments and policies such as the Niamey Convention.
Find more information on GIZ-AUBP here.