"The development programmes in the COMESA region are on course as planned," said Ambassador Nagla EI­ Hussainy (in picture) while opening the 31st Administrative and Budgetary Committee of COMESA.

"I also urge this committee to ensure that adequate budgets are provided to enable COMESA institutions carry out their full mandate. In addition, we need to break away from the traditiona I incremental budget of five percent to an activity based budget with a view to Member States fully supporting COMESA programmes," said Amb. EI-Hussainy.

Amb. EI-Hussainy, who is the Assistant Secretary-Genera I of COMESA, thanked the Government and people of Uganda for the hospitality accorded to her and her delegation since their arriva I to Uganda.

She also extended her appreciation to the Administrative Committee for their support and guidance rendered to the Secretariat.

"This committee has always provided wise counsel which has enabled the Secretariat to continually make steady progress. have every confidence that the committee will apply its usual commitment in arriving at concrete recommendations for the Intergovernmental Committee."

She outlined a number of the developments that have occurred and continue to unfold in th Secretariat during the past yea including the conclusion of the restructuring process.

“The Secretariat is going to commit itself to the recruitment of priority positions under the new structure as the first step towards energizing the institution,” she said.

“The other developments include the salary review exercise, which coincided with the restructuring exercise as well as the construction of the new headquarters, whose preparations are in advanced stages. The contracts committee of the Council of Ministers met early in the year to identify and award a contract for the design and supervision of the construction of the new headquarters. The contract shall be signed once the funding modalities are finalized.”

Amb. EI-Hussainy outlined a number of challenges faced by the Secretariat which include low remittances from Member States towards the capita I and programme budget of the Secretariat in comparison to those from development partners, and cautioned that the continued over-reliance on development partners to fund COMESA programmes is something that should seriously bother a ll of Member States.

The other challenges cited included the late nomination of Member State delegations to COMESA meetings, lack of a risk management component within the Secretariat structure as well as thin staffing in COMESA institutions.

The committee was encouraged to see the importance and urgency of concluding the restructuring process and rolling out the new organisational structure.

While addressing the issue of the recommendations for submission to the Intergovernmental Committee; Amb. El-Hussainy said that it is critical that the Administration Committee designs recommendations that will be implemented and monitored with ease once Council makes decisions arising from the same recommendations.

The 13th November meeting is the first one among the many that are taking place as part of the COMESA Summit and Policy Organs’ meetings, which are going on in Kampala from 13-24 November 2012.