The East African Community: Reconstruction, Challenges and Future Prospects of the Regional Organization.

Working towards creating an integrated economy is a challenge, a chellenge that few countries would dare to undertake. The people of the East African Community (EAC) boast of having a history, which faced this challenge even before the European Community (EC). We believe that the European countries borrowed a leaf from the East African Community model. Regional integration aims at bringing about faster economic development within their respective member states. This is in line with the spirit of the Lagos Plan of Action (LPA), the Abuja Treaty (AT) and New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The three East African countries have a total population of 90 million, with a regional income per head of only $300 a year. It therefore makes excellent sense in terms of providing the critical ass necessary for attracting foreign investment in manufacturing, while enabling companies to exploit economies of scale. The economy has been growing at an average rate of 6% Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The economies of the three East African countries are predominantly agriculture. The people of the East Africa share a more of less common cultural heritage, especially the English and Swahili languages. Road, rail, water, air transport systems and telecommunications networks are regarded as common to the region and their development will enhance cross border movement of persons, goods and services and the maintenance of peace and security in the region.