Legal mechanism of the east african treaties in fighting cross border crimes, case study Gatuna border

7) Exchange training programs for security personnel;

Article 6(2) of the EAC Police Cooperation^54(*); spell out agreement in respect of cooperation and mutual assistance in the field of combating crime, rendering advice support or assistance relating to training. Partner States have developed training with a need to exchange the training programs in order to benefit from each other. In a bid to improve standards and cooperation within the region, Partner States require support relating to training of their staff.

By improving training and exchanging experiences, the policing standards are improved and developed among the member States leading to good performance^55(*). About this goal, the objectives of EAC Partner States are the exchange of specialized instructors and to carry out joint training in identified areas.

To produce acceptable standards there will be transfer of skills especially of trainer in specialized field. Specialist trainers will be identified from Partner States to train in their area of specialization. It will be important for the region to identify trainers with required skills, identify areas of weaknesses, and develop the framework to facilitate exchange process.

About the exchange of training programs for security personnel, on 05^th ,03, 2012, thirty military officers from the EAC Member States officially kicked off an international course on military ethics and the law of armed conflict at the Rwanda Military Academy Nyakinama which takes three weeks. The training took place in Rwanda because Rwanda Defense Forces are recognized as experienced forces in the region so they have to share education and exchanging programs as the primary means of ensuring in-service development and maintaining a high level of professionalism as well as experience with others in the region.

8) Establish common mechanisms for the management of refugees;

Partner States are signatories to the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees and its 1961 Protocol. There are also signatories to 1960 OAU Convention governing the specific aspects of refugee problems in Africa. There is therefore need to have uniform national legislation governing refugee matters in the region.

According to the World Refugee Survey 2009 statistics, the five East African Community States host a combined population of 949,000 refugees. Of this number, about 300,000 are citizens of East African States living as refugees in the territory of other Community member States^56(*). As conflicts in traditional refugee-producing Community member states abate and their citizens return home, conflict in previously tranquil states like Kenya have injected more refugees into the Community pool. Globally, there seems a consensus among states on finding durable solutions to refugee situations and minimizing the circumstances that forcibly displace people and force them to cross international borders in search of refuge. The question on the lips of many community refugees is what their status will be under an East African Federation.

* ⁵⁴ The Protocol on East African Community Police Cooperation, art 6(2)

* ⁵⁵ EAC, Report of the Meeting of EAC experts to review the regional strategy on peace and security, (Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, June 2012,p.9)

* ⁵⁶ The Forum Society for International Development, The East African Community and refugee question, http://www.sidint.net/node/4980. Accessed 13^th October,2012