Co-operation between cooperatives in East Africa: The impact of the East African Community Cooperative Societies Act, 2014.

Abstract

The East African Community (EAC) was established with the mission of inter alia promoting regional trade which includes the Cooperatives sector for the development of the region’s economy. This underscores the cooperative principle of Cooperation amongst cooperatives. Progressive laws and policy frameworks by the EAC point to the spirit
of cooperation. The International Labour Organisation through its Recommendation No. 193 of 2002 resolved to promote cooperatives at both the national and international levels. In pursuit of a regional cooperatives sector, the EAC enacted the EAC Cooperative Societies Act 2014 to accord the cooperative sector an appropriate legal and policy framework. The paper reviews existing international law and policy framework and their contribution to sound regional cooperatives sector, the reception of the EAC’s cooperatives law whilst drawing lessons from Europeans who have through the European Commission exploited the Statute for a European Cooperative Society, 2003 (SCE) to the benefit of the sector. It is acknowledged that significant steps have been made towards having an appropriate legal and policy framework though lethargic reception of the Act by Partner States has stalled the dream of a borderless cooperative sector. Goodwill in implementing the Act is paramount to ensure growth of the sector and through the Sixth cooperative principle make EAC the pacesetter in the African cooperative movement.