Happy New Year greetings from the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) and welcome to the 12th Issue of our Economic Briefer! This Issue of the Briefer is addressing economic recovery measures for the East African Region in the wake of COVID-19. (If you missed Issue 11, find it here)

The 12th Issue of the Briefer is themed around rebuilding the post COVID-19 East African regional economy. Among the many effects of COVID–19, the pandemic has also exposed the fault lines in the economic integration agenda. It was made evident as countries pursued divergent measures to combat the spread of the virus. For instance, despite the member states having free movement of students across their academic institutions, countries like Kenya have declared a dead year, while Uganda has allowed finalists back to school avoid a complete dead year. However, COVID-19 notwithstanding, what should not be lost on our minds are the several salient issues that remain such as the environment and the rule of law. It is of particular importance that the economies of the region build back better with environmental sustainability at the heart of the regional recovery strategies. Finally, a contemporary matter arose in this quarter regarding the regulation of the financial sector in the region as a Ugandan business man took DTB Kenya to court bringing to the fore issues of legality of financial institutions operating in the region.

It is against this background that the 12th Issue of the Briefer is addressing regional integration amidst the COVID-19 pandemic with a leading article from Assoc. Professor Philip Kasaija from Makerere University’s department of Political Science and Public Administration. Prof. Kasaija’s article addresses what the EAC member states must do to bring the integration agenda back to the fore. The 12th Issue of the Briefer has also carried an article from Ms. Barbara Ntabirewki, a Research Fellow at ACODE examining how EAC countries can build back better by presenting regional perspectives of green economic recovery post COVID-19. The 12th Issue of the Briefer has also carried an article from Mr. James Muhindo, Esq – the Chairperson of the Network of Public Interest Lawyers in Uganda providing insight into the regulation of the financial sectors in the region by giving a legal and economic exposition of the Ham v DTB Kenya case. We hope that these articles will inform the policy discussions happening at various levels.

As always, we invite Your Feedback to help us improve. Please note that while ACODE is the publisher of this briefer, the views expressed herein are strictly for the authors. They do not represent organisational positions for ACODE or the organisations where our contributing authors work.

Finally, 2020 was a trying year and we remain grateful to God that we are still alive. On behalf of ACODE, I take this opportunity to wish you a Blessed New Year, 2021. Stay Safe.