FES is supporting public dialogue as well as decision-making processes aimed at the establishment of a sound
and effective East African Community.
Our objective is to promote among stakeholders an understanding of the opportunities afforded by
and possible effects of regional integration, and to contribute to the strengthening of the
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) as a regional institution.
The roots of what is now the East African co-operation between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda lie as far back as
the times of British rule.
The first East African Community was established in 1967, and collapsed due to serious frictions between
the three countries in 1977. However, in 1996 the Permanent Tripartite Commission for a new East African community
was able to open its secretariat.
In 1997, the Presidents of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda signed an agreement in Arusha, which marked a further step towards East African Unity. At the same time and venue, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung invited participants of all three countries to discuss the so-called German-East African Dialogue. In 1998 FES was involved in organising the consultative meetings to finalise the draft. Towards the end of 1999 FES Uganda in conjunction with the regional weekly paper The EastAfrican organised the first East African Forum in Kampala, taking a closer look at the economic side of regional integration in the East African context.
In 2004 the Presidents of the three East African Countries decided to go on a "fast track" to regional integration to achieve a political union in 2010. On the 1st of January 2005 the East African Customs Union was finally implemented, as the first step to close regional co-operation.
Real integration can only be achieved by the peoples growning together in understanding. For that reason FES Uganda tries to create awareness on a broad basis. FES activities at societal level include at current level workshops and conferences for stakeholders regarding regional integration; conducting research on the impact of the Customs Union on people living in the border areas of Uganda and working in partnership with the EALA to consolidate regional integration.