Nearly three decades after its revival, the East African Community (EAC) has developed an unfortunate habit of announcing ever more ambitious goals while failing to deliver on the fundamentals of regional integration. While grand visions might have their place, they cannot substitute for the hard work of implementing commitments already made.
Take the proposed common currency. It increasingly dominates summit agendas even as the Community continues to struggle with the far more basic task of eliminating non-tariff barriers. Every communiqué celebrates the vision of a Common Market where people, goods, services and capital move freely. Yet every border crossing exposes the gulf between lofty declarations and everyday reality.
