South Sudan Joins Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to allow free movement of engineers across East Africa

By Zelidya Ladislaus

South Sudan has just acceded to the Mutual Recognition Agreement of engineers, marking a significant milestone towards the free movement of professional engineers within the East African Community region.

Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) aims to streamline recognition of professional qualifications of engineers in the region, thereby paving the way for their cross-border mobility.

Juba thus joins Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in this scope.

The accession agreement was signed by the Registrar of the Engineering Council of South Sudan, the Engineers Board of Kenya, the Engineers Registration Board of Tanzania, the Engineers Registration Board of Uganda, and the Rwanda Engineering Council.

The ceremony was witnessed by a representative of the EAC Partner States, the Community Secretariat and GIZ through Digitalization for East African Trade and Integration (DIGEAT) and Leveraging Integration Frameworks for Trade in Services (LIFTED).

These are the initiatives supporting the East African Community to facilitate the movement of professionals in the region in line with the Common Market Protocol.

The Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community provides for the creation of a Common Market among the Partner States with free movement of labor, goods, services, capital, and the right of establishment.

For this purpose, the Partner States are required to mutually recognize the academic and professional qualifications granted, experience obtained, requirements met, licenses, or certifications granted in other Partner States.

As an innovative step to breaking down barriers hindering the cross-border mobility of professionals in East Africa, the East African Community, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the European Union (EU) jointly developed the project Digitalization for East African Trade and Integration (DIGEAT) and LIFTED.

The two projects focus on the existing Mutual Recognition Agreement for engineers and aim to improve cross-border mobility regulatory frameworks as well as establish a digital data exchange mechanism to facilitate the recognition of qualifications of practicing engineers in the region.

By enhancing the mobility of professionals, the MRAs are expected to facilitate transfer of knowledge and skills in the region and improve access to a wider pool of experts, thereby promoting quality and professionalism in the EAC region.

Speaking during the ceremony, the EAC Principal Education Officer Dr Dorcas Omukhulu, underscored the need for the Competent Authorities in the five Partner States to ensure quality assurance of engineering professionals in the region.

“I also in this vein call upon the EAC Partner States that have competent Authorities which have not acceded to the Engineers’ MRA to do so,” she added.

Representing the Engineering MRA Coordination Committee in East Africa, Engineer Benard Kavishe, Chairman and Registrar of Engineers Registration Board of Tanzania observed that the decision was reached after comprehensive conformity assessment of the application by South Sudan, as guided by Article 11.3 of the MRA.

“This historic event will further strengthen the region’s engineering profession and facilitate the free movement of skilled engineers within the EAC, contributing to the overall development and economic growth of the region” he added

In his remarks, Ritcher Bjoern, the EAC – GIZ Cluster Coordinator reflected on the GIZ support to the East African economic integration journey for the last 25 years.

“GIZ is pleased to support the Engineering Boards of different Partner States to facilitate not just the ceremony but also the platforms for cross-border skilled labor and look forward to working with the engineering stakeholders in the region.” he said

The accession of South Sudan to the MRA is a testament to the EAC’s commitment to fostering regional cooperation and creating a vibrant and prosperous East African Community.