By Jacob Dut Chol Riak

Abstract

The relation between the East African Community (EAC) and the European Union (EU) has so far contributed towards the economic development of both regions. However, on the issues of trade, technical assistance and foreign aid, the relationship has not always been symbiotic. The EAC has heavily relied on EU funding and technical expertise to support it programmes. Out of 112,984,442 million USD, the EAC budget for 2024/2025, 61% of the funding comes from partners with the EU doing the heaviest financial lifting of 30%. In 2023/2024 budget, the EU cushioned the EAC budget with 40% technical budgetary support and in 2022/2023 budget, the EU contributed 50% support. Of the budgetary and programmes support, the EU has dictated the appropriation of the EAC budget. Large chunks of money have been going to line items compatible with the EU foreign policy. Although the EU is the main trade partner of the EAC, the relation has been quite dependent. This paper argues that the EAC bloc is quite parasitic in its relations with the EU. Because of this parasitic relationship, the EU has dictated the programmes of the EAC secretariat in leitmotif of “he who pays the piper, dictates the tune”. Although some EAC partner states and the EU member states have inked Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), the EAC is yet to fully liberalize its markets, meets the standards requirements of goods, improve on governance and human rights. Instead of implementing EPAs requirements, the EAC has been relying on the EU handouts. This relation has been off balance and set the EAC in a weaker position. For EU-EAC relations to be symbiotic and of equal benefits to both regions, EAC partner states have a caveat to improve on governance, human rights, and adherence to EPAs. Above all, the EAC should begin to delink itself from heavily reliance on EU funding for its programmes and projects and entirely fund these programmes and projects from partner states. This paper used elite interviews and secondary sources to understand the relationship between the EAC and the EU. It combines processing tracing, case study and comparative methods to contextualize and validate causal chains and casual processes. Furthermore, the paper theorizes regional integration and constructs the concept of the parasitic bloc to depict EAC-EU relations. Finally, it draws conclusion and recommends direction of future research.

Keywords: Parasite, Bloc, East African Community, European Union, Relations, Economic Partnership Agreements

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