The Association circulates regular reports to members on political and economic developments in Eastern Africa. It provides a forum for members to exchange views on matters of common interest to foreign investors and businessmen as well as providing a channel of communication through which those views can be represented to the governments concerned.
It engages in informal discussions with appropriate ministers, diplomatic representatives and senior officials and offers hospitality to and an opportunity for members to meet important visitors from Eastern Africa. Specific advice is available to members on their individual problems and the Association's offices serve as enquiry points through which members can identify suitable contacts in government departments, Community institutions in Brussels and ministries in the countries covered.
Regular meetings are held in London, Nairobi, Kampala, Dar-es-Salaam and Kigali, which often provide a platform for Ministers, High Commissioners and others to address our members.
The Association is an independent, non-political body financed entirely from the subscriptions of its members and its own small investment income.
The Association is administered by the Chief Executive, appointed by the Executive Committee, who is also Secretary of the Association. The Chief Executive makes frequent visits to Eastern Africa to maintain contact with their Governments. He is in touch with various British Government departments; with diplomatic representatives of the countries covered in London, and with other bodies concerned with trade and investment in Africa.
The Association is a member of the European Business Council Africa Mediterranean (EBCAM) via its sister organisation, The British African Business Association (BABA) and the Chief Executive regularly attends Council meetings. Through this relationship, it is associated with comparable private sector organizations in Western Europe, and maintains contact with the European Commission and the Centre for Industrial Development on matters affecting economic development and industrial co-operation in Africa.
The Association has a Resident Representative in Nairobi who keeps abreast of local developments throughout East Africa and provides permanent liaison of an unofficial and informal nature between the overseas interests represented by the Association and the Kenyan Government. Activities in Kenya are co-ordinated by the local Advisory Committee and include informal meetings with Kenya based representatives of member companies, discussions with Government ministers and senior officials, and the circulation of factual information of interest to the local offices of member companies.
There are also Resident Representatives in Kampala, Dar-es-Salaam and Kigali who perform a similar function in Uganda, Tazania and Rwanda, as well as honorary representatives in the other countries.
The members of the Association elect the Executive Committee of between eleven and sixteen members, representing a broad cross-section of members' interests, and the Committee appoints the Chairman and Vice Chairman. The Committee meets approximately four times per year to decide policy and management questions. Sub-committees of the Executive Committee are formed as required to deal with specific issues.
The three Resident Representatives visit London on occasions to report to the Executive Committee and to the members on the situation in their respective countries. During the course of these visits, the representatives are available to give help and advice to member companies.
