The Influence Of Immigration Policies On The East African Integration Process

Abstract

Regional integration is a worldwide concept that is built on the objectives of member countries whose main aim is experience positive terms of trade due to free trade. The East African Regional integration has been demonstrated to increase investments in member countries. Despite the EAC’s vision to establish a Customs Union, a Common Market, a Monetary Union, and ultimately a Political Federation of the East African States, progress made throughout the years has been hampered by a myriad of challenges, among them the region’s immigration policies that are different among the EAC partner states. This study therefore set out to investigate role of EAC’s immigration policies in promoting regional integration by focusing on three specific study objectives; to investigate how EAC’s immigration policies promote the EAC integration, the strategies that the EAC member states are applying to harmonize immigration policies with aspirations of the EAC integration process and the challenges faced by EAC member states in the implementation of migration policies to boost integration in the EAC. A descriptive research design was employed to carry out the study with a questionnaire and interview schedule used to collect the primary data from respondents. The study was further guided by Liberal intergovernmentalism Theory and the Regional Integration Theory. The results of the study show that majority of travelers who are EAC citizens do so for business. This means that citizens in the EAC region are brought together mostly by trade related activities. All East African member states including Kenya, have each an immigration policy framework with aspirations for EAC regional integration. Most of the of the EAC member country immigration policies promote movement of people, capital, goods and services. The immigration policies to a large extent promote residence in any EAC state. Member countries’ immigration policies are also formulated to promote healthy business competition among EAC citizens and Cultural integration and religious freedom. The same immigration policies also promote access to markets within the EAC and peaceful coexistence among EAC citizens, EAC customs union and common market. The volume of trade between the EAC member states had increased due to the influence of the immigration policies for countries in the region in the recent past. Majority of EAC countries are working towards greater integration of the region and have done this through formulation of strategies to achieve the same. The policy challenges which pose the greatest challenge to integration in the EAC region are internal and external tariff barriers to trade as well as long business registration process time in the different countries. The political challenges and social challenges on the other constitute a small impact on integration of EAC member countries. Under economic challenges, different taxation regimes in EAC member countries pose a more pronounced challenge to integration. The other economic challenges that affect integration are the different currency systems and the high cost of doing business in East Africa. Pursuant to these findings, the study recommends the following; abolishing passports for EAC citizen travelers, harmonization of crossborder policies, abolish the Visa requirements for short-time visits by members of the EAC, harmonization of taxation regimes, establishment of a common currency system, reduce the high cost of doing business, improve infrastructure and formation of a common political federation.