The World Bank has pledged its support to the integration process of the East African Community (EAC), according to reports on Saturday.

The pledge was made by World Bank African Regional Integration Director Mark Tomlinson during his visit to the EAC headquarters in Arusha of northern Tanzania on Friday.

Tomlinson and EAC Secretary-General Juma Volter Mwapachu agreed to develop a memorandum of understanding between the EAC and the World Bank, with a view to assisting the EAC integration process.

The two sides discussed the ongoing EAC regional integration, the development of regional infrastructure, the EAC customs union, the Lake Victoria development program, as well as regional poverty- reduction programs.

The EAC chief briefed the World Bank regional integration director about the historical and ethnic ties bounding together the three EAC member states of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

"The East African countries had a common language and cross- border ethnic links which made it imperative for them to move together on the development path.

"It was inevitable that these countries pursued joint projects in order to speed up economic development."

Juma Volter Mwapachu explained to Tomlinson that it is only natural that the three EAC member states should federate though some detractors may deride the idea as "far fetched".

Source: Xinhua