The NSSF headquarters in Nairobi. Photo/ANTHONY KAMAU
Pension and social security organisations in eastern and central Africa have drafted a three-year strategic plan to facilitate the harmonisation of social security schemes.
The schemes will now allow cross-border labour mobility within the region.
Operating under the umbrella East and Central Africa Social Security Association (Ecassa), the new initiative, that covers the period 2009/10 to 2011/12, underlines programmes that will foster cooperation and development among the entities.
The draft provides the framework to guide the association’s decisions and actions over the next three years.
This will make Ecassa a centre of excellence in the region, according to Ecassa outgoing chairman Alex Kazongo.
“The draft’s objectives and strategies have been formulated from critical issues ssssby scanning both the internal and external operating environment of the association through a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and constraints analysis,” added Mr Kazongo.
The environmental scan has enabled the organisation to identify the strengths, areas of improvement, opportunities and challenges.
Ecassa was established in 2007 to, among other things, create a forum for social security institutions to network and share experiences and expertise in social security management in the region and beyond.
The organisation envisages making a significant contribution by using its members’ expertise to facilitate the implementation of social security development programmes.
The association has 16 members drawn from Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia.
Development programmes
Since its inception, it has increased its membership base and created awareness among the interested parties.
It envisages making a significant contribution by using its members’ expertise to facilitate the implementation of social security development programmes.
The association will also cooperate with the interested parties in the development of skills and expertise in managing social security funds, as well as the promotion of social security awareness and training in the area.
This means that the transfer of social security benefits such as pensions within the region will be made easy.
“There won’t be need to follow long procedures when one needs information about a person’s social benefits from another country affiliated to Ecassa,” Mr Kazungu pointed out.
In addition, investors in the region will increasingly be attracted to certain locations, so the availability of skills and harmonising labour and social security regimes will simplify the processes.
During the period, the strategic objectives will, among other things, develop and maintain a sustainable association and promote the delivery of quality social security services within the sub-region.
The promotion of the acceptability of the association will be another strategic objective.
To achieve these objectives, activities and programmes have been crafted for implementation during the plan period.
However, the implementation of the strategic plan will need close monitoring of all key functions to make sure they are in harmony with the defined vision.
