EAC chief orders budget cuts as deficit bites

An agricultural expo in Rwanda. Investments in the sector are a priority in EAC’s fifth development agenda. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The East African Community has adopted a new package of austerity measures as the Secretariat navigates an acute budget deficit.

An official document seen by The EastAfrican indicates that as of end of September, the EAC executive arm in Arusha had only pocketed 4.6 per cent of the 2017/18 budget contributions, leaving the Secretariat in critical liquidity pressure.