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{
"id": 1411381,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411381/?format=api",
"text_counter": 129,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Aldai, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Marianne Kitany",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Speaker, I beg to reply. The ratification of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) has gained a lot of support from both sides of the House. Some benefits mentioned by everyone is the access of this market to at least 27 countries. That is about Euro16 trillion economy that Kenya is going to benefit from. The current economies of our partner states within the East African Community (EAC) are considered poor. Therefore, they have favourable trading terms with the EU as opposed to Kenya that is considered a strong economy."
},
{
"id": 1411382,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411382/?format=api",
"text_counter": 130,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Aldai, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Marianne Kitany",
"speaker": null,
"content": "With the ratification of the EPA, Kenya will benefit from this agreement and have market access for its goods and services that have been selling at a very high rate. Before the signing of this agreement, the only goods allowed into the EU market on favourable terms are raw materials, mainly cut flowers. With signing of this agreement, upon ratification and coming into effect immediately, manufactured goods and services will access market. An example is our tea currently traded with the United Kingdom (UK), being our third largest market. When the tea is bought by the UK, it is value added and resold to EU markets. The benefits of value addition go to the UK as opposed to the originating country, Kenya. The signing of the EPA between Kenya on one part and the European Union, which has 27 countries, on the other side, will instantly open market access for Kenyan tea. We currently trade it at US$23 billion annually. We expect that to triple because we will have close to 27 countries trading. Furthermore, we will be allowed to trade in finished manufactured and value- added products. We are not looking at things like tea only but products like coffee, milk, leather, among others. They currently go from Kenyan markets to the EU. However, it is through other markets like the UK that they have access. With that, I beg to reply. Thank you."
},
{
"id": 1411383,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411383/?format=api",
"text_counter": 131,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Several Members walked into the Chamber)"
},
{
"id": 1411384,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411384/?format=api",
"text_counter": 132,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Order, Hon. Members. Those on your feet, please take your seats. Please, take your seat."
},
{
"id": 1411385,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411385/?format=api",
"text_counter": 133,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Question put and agreed to)"
},
{
"id": 1411386,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411386/?format=api",
"text_counter": 134,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Next Order, by the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations. Hon. Kwenya."
},
{
"id": 1411387,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411387/?format=api",
"text_counter": 135,
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"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "RATIFICATION OF THE AFRICAN UNION CONVENTION ON CROSS BORDER COOPERATION"
},
{
"id": 1411388,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411388/?format=api",
"text_counter": 136,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kinangop, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Kwenya Thuku",
"speaker": {
"id": 13380,
"legal_name": "Zachary Kwenya Thuku",
"slug": "zachary-kwenya-thuku"
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"content": " Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion: The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1411389,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411389/?format=api",
"text_counter": 137,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kinangop, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Kwenya Thuku",
"speaker": {
"id": 13380,
"legal_name": "Zachary Kwenya Thuku",
"slug": "zachary-kwenya-thuku"
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"content": "THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations on its consideration of the ratification of the African Union Convention on Cross Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention), laid on the Table of the House on Thursday, 14th March 2024, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 8(4) of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act of 2012, approves the ratification of the African Union Convention on Cross Border Cooperation. The Committee Report before the House details the Committee’s consideration of the African Union Convention on Cross Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention). The African Convention on Cross Border Cooperation is a regional agreement aimed at promoting cooperation and integration among African countries. The Convention was adopted by the 23rd Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government on 27th June 2014 to gear African states to cooperate towards the full realisation of the benefits accruable through cross border cooperation. The Convention focuses on enhancing collaboration in various policy areas related to cross border issues. It redefines cross border cooperation as any act or policy aimed at promoting and strengthening good neighbourly relations between border populations, territorial communities and administrations or other stakeholders within the jurisdiction of two or more states, including the conclusion of agreements and arrangements useful for this purpose. It encourages member states to develop mechanisms for promoting trade, investment and economic cooperation across borders. This includes facilitating the movement of goods, services and capital as well as harmonising trade, policies and regulations. The African Union Convention on Cross Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention) and the Explanatory Memorandum from the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs were laid on the Table of House on Tuesday, 18th April 2023, and subsequently committed to the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations. Pursuant to Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution on public participation and Section 8(3) of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act of 2012, the Committee placed advertisements in two local dailies on Wednesday, 21st June 2023, calling for submission of memoranda on the subject matter. However, by close of the deadline, the Committee had not received any memorandum for or against ratification of the Convention. In considering the Convention, the Committee held a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to apprise Members on justification for the proposed ratification of the Convention. Further, the Committee engaged the Attorney- General, the Kenya Law Reform Commission, the State Department for East African Community, and the Ministry of Interior and National Administration who made submissions on the Convention. Having considered the Convention and analysed the submissions made, the Committee observed that the Convention promotes constitutional values and objectives and does not in any way allude to an amendment of the Constitution. The Convention does not necessitate changes to Kenya's domestic laws, however, because the Convention requires state parties to collaborate in institutional growth, this may necessitate policy considerations on review of the current legislative framework. The Convention imposes a number of obligations on Kenya, including the requirements to: 1. Commit cross-border cooperation in the surveying of boundaries, socio- economic development of borderlands, promotion of culture and sports across borders, and combating cross-border crime (border security); 2. Encourage, promote and facilitate information and intelligence sharing, communicate with the institution in charge of border matters; 3. Harmonise its domestic law with the Convention and; The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1411390,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1411390/?format=api",
"text_counter": 138,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kinangop, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Kwenya Thuku",
"speaker": {
"id": 13380,
"legal_name": "Zachary Kwenya Thuku",
"slug": "zachary-kwenya-thuku"
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"content": "4. Submit a report on the measures taken for the implementation of the Convention every two years. The Convention imposes obligation on member states through their various regional economic communities to effectively coordinate with the African Union on the implementation of cross border activities within their regions to further the principles of subsidiarity and complementarity within the continent. Hon. Speaker, at the time of consideration of the Convention for ratification, it had been signed by 19 out of the 55 African countries. Equally, only eight countries had ratified the Convention, yet 15 countries were required to ratify it for it to enter into force. Further, Kenya’s ratification of the Convention is likely to influence subsequent ratification by the East African countries. Kenya is joining the Convention as a contributing member state. Thus, its ratification has no financial implications. Further, Kenya has in place various policy, legislative and institutional frameworks for cross-border cooperation including security laws, the Amendment Act of 2014 that established the Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee (BCOCC) and Joint Border Commissioners Administrative Committee with all the neighbouring countries which meet regularly to discuss cross border matters, including animal health, security issues and maintenance of boundary infrastructure, among others. The East African Protocol on Peace and Security encourages member states to implement African Union Conventions and other international instruments that promote peace and security. In that regard, Kenya has negotiated and signed a memorandum of understanding on the demarcation and reaffirmation of the boundary with Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan. The reaffirmation and demarcation of the Kenya-Tanzania border is ongoing, hence around 238km of the 760km well on its way to completion. Having reviewed the Convention and considered the submissions made and pursuant to Section 8 of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act of 2012, the Committee recommends that the House approves the ratification of the African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation, the Niamey Convention. I beg to move. I urge the House to adopt this Report. I take this opportunity to request the Hon. Member for Mandera North to second. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}
]
}