BY NAMALE AGNES.

The miss tourism East Africa initiative is a private sector initiative unveiled on the 06th of May
2022 at the launch of miss tourism Uganda 2022, set to take place on a date to be announced this
year 2023 in the capital city of Uganda.

Uganda is set to host the very first Miss Tourism East Africa beauty pageant where the best
personality will be crowned Miss Tourism East Africa – to be the ambassador of the key sectors
under the common market initiative of the East African community including Tourism and
wildlife management, culture, trade, not forgetting environment and natural resources
conservation.

“If you want to move first, surely move alone, but if you want to go far, move as a team” so, did
a wise philosopher once say.

The East African region poses a great potential when it comes to the
tourism sector given the cultural diversity, and wildlife potential the member states possess.
Coming together to promote destination East Africa seems to be one of the maiden projects set to
realize the East African integration.

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organization of seven (7)
Partner States comprising; Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South
Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

Miss tourism East Africa is a united front of member states in the East African community,
joining hands to celebrate a personality whose goal is to defend tourism, wildlife, heritage and
environmental rights.
Miss tourism east African will see that the member states of the East African community realize
a common market place for free trade of services in the tourism sector for conservation and
sustainability purposes.

The Common Market is the second Regional Integration milestone of the East African
Community (EAC) which has been in force since 2010, in line with the provisions of the EAC
Treaty. It follows the Customs Union, which became fully-fledged in January 2010.
To accelerate economic growth and development, it means that the EAC Partner States maintain
a liberal stance towards the four Freedoms of movement for all the factors of production and two
Rights between themselves. These Freedoms and Rights include:
 Free Movement of Goods
 Free Movement of Persons
 Free Movement of Labour / Workers
 Right of Establishment
 Right of Residence
 Free Movement of Services

 Free Movement of Capital
Underlying the EAC Common Market are operational principles of the Community, namely:
 Non-discrimination of nationals of other Partner States on grounds of nationality;
 Equal treatment to nationals of other Partner States;
 Ensure transparency in matters concerning the other Partner States; and
 Share information for the smooth implementation of the Protocol.
This initiative is in line with the UNs sustainable development goal 1 and 11 which focus on
eliminating poverty and making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and
sustainable.
It is a major way in realizing the global theme for the tourism industry this year 2022-2023; “re-
thinking tourism.”