OPENING

REMARKS
BY
THE
CHAIRPERSON,
REGIONAL
INTEGRATION, HON. FLORENCE KAJUJU, MP; DURING THE
SETTING OF THE REGIONAL INTEGRATION AGENDA AND
PACEWORKSHOP ON 1ST NOVEMBER 2013 AT WATAMU
Hon Members of EALA and National Assembly of Kenya,
Country Director, TradeMark East Africa
Clerk of the National Assembly,
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am indeed honoured and privilege to welcome you to this important
workshop for the Regional Integration Committee.
Regional integration is an important strategy for expanding economic
opportunities across the world. In the context of Africa, the regional
integration agenda incorporates a range of objectives. The setting up of
this regional integration agenda is such important to us all and for the
period we have served I have no doubt, we are equally ready and
committed to the task ahead of the Committee.
Hon Members,
Regional integration is an important strategy for expanding economic
opportunities across the world. In the context of Africa, the regional
integration agenda incorporates a range of objectives. We are therefore,
ready to listen, engage and fellowship with the experts before us during
presentations. We are therefore gathered here for these two days to create
a safe, interactive and enjoyable learning atmosphere in which we can all
have the opportunity to learn in creative ways.
It is indeed an opportunity to interact with one another and share
information, ideas and experiences. The programme before us covers
wide areas of interest which with no reservation, will positively contribute
to our abilities to understand and improve our mandate as a Committee
charge with matters of regional integration
Hon Members,
As we forge forward, we are focusing our attention on the mandate of
the Committee as is anticipated by the Standing Orders, No. 216,
regardless of our party politics. We as a committee of PARLIAMENT, we
want to see Kenya, and as a whole-of-government approach to regional
1

integration. The rationale for a national whole-of-government approach is

greater effectiveness, and was driven by the assumption
that
a
governments foreign engagements will have a more meaningful
and sustainable impact when the various government departments
involved pursue a common strategy, have a shared understanding of
the problem, a common theory of change, and an agreed plan for
implementing such a strategy.
Such an approach would result in more efficient use of the resources
made available by the government, regardless of the department
or ministry through which those resources are channeled. This rationale
is extended from the national to the international context, or vice versa,
and the logic is that the greater the coherence achieved among the
different parts of the system, the more meaningful, effective and
sustainable is the overall impact likely to be. As the Chair of the
Committee, you have my full and unwavering support to execute our
oversight functions. Lets us all support one another, progression unity
and building of consensus amongst us is important way forward as the
African saying that kidole kimoja hakiui chawa therefore we all
need each other for success.
Hon Members,
Let me also urge this committee to always work more efficiently as we
have done many times. Lets us place high value on access to relevant
and useful information that we shall be furnished on the next two days. I
challenge all of us to take up this challenge of ensuring that our
government remains accountable to its citizens.
With these remarks, may I take this opportunity to thank my fellow
members for the creating time to attend this workshop, our partners
Trademark East Africa and parliamentary staff who have worked behind
the scenes to make this workshop a success.
Hon Members,
It is now my pleasant honour and duty to declare this Induction workshop
officially opened.
Thank you.