In 1998, the Government of Kenya established the Ministry of East African and Regional Cooperation to coordinate the affairs of the EAC, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). In 1999, the EAC Affairs functions were transferred to a department within the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry and later in 2003, as a department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2004 the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Cooperation was established and later renamed the Ministry of East African Community (MEAC) in 2006. In 2013, following the reorganization of government in line with the 2010 Constitution, the EAC functions were placed under the State Department for East African Affairs (SDEAA) within the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism.

The Department was later renamed the State Department for East African Community Integration (SDEACI) in 2016 under the Ministry of East African Community, Labour and Social Protection. Following the re-organization of the Government in June, 2018, the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development was created. The creation of the Ministry was also in line with the Treaty for establishment of EAC and Directives of the EAC Heads of State Summit. Pursuant to the Executive Order No. 1 of 2023, the Ministry was renamed to East African Community (EAC), the ASALs and Regional Development comprising of two State Departments namely:

1. The State Department for East African Community
2. The State Department for the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development

The mandate of the Ministry, focuses on coordinating Kenya’s engagement in the EAC integration, Northern Corridor Development programmes as well as coordination of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development. This involves working closely with the Ministries, Counties, Departments and Agencies (MCDAs); Private Sector; civil society; and engagement with Kenyan Citizenry, EAC Organs and Institutions and the other Partner States. 

The SDARD was established through Executive Order No. 1 of January 2023 following the reorganization of Government of the Republic of Kenya. Prior to this Executive Order, the State Department for the ASALs and the State Department for Regional and Northern Corridor Development were in different Ministries. This Executive Order merged the function of the ASALs with those of Regional Development with a broader mandate to coordinate and accelerate integrated development in the ASALs and the basin-based regions.  This Mandate was expanded to include; Special Programmes, Food Relief Management and Humanitarian Emergency Response and Projects in Response to Displacement Impacts.

STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS

• Coordination of Development for ASALs and Regional Development
• Resilience Building
• Social and Cultural Integration
• Leadership

The State Department has the following Directorates

Directorate of ASALs

                              Mandate

The Directorate’s mandate:

                 Functions

The functions of the Directorate are to:

The Directorate has the following Divisions

•  Research & Partnerships Division

 Functions of the division entail:

•         Community Integration & Peace building

 Functions of the division entail:

•        Strategic Resources & Resilience Development

 Functions of the division entail:

Directorate of Special Programme

                    Mandate

 The Directorate’s mandate:

                  Functions

The functions of the Directorate are to:

The Directorate has the following Divisions

•            Relief &Rehabilitation

Functions of the division entail:

 Humanitarian Emergency Response

Functions of the division entail:    

Directorate of Regional Development

Mandate

The Directorate’s mandate

 Functions

The functions of the Directorate are to: 

The Directorate has the following Divisions

Regional Development

            Functions of the division entail:

 Regional Development Planning

  Functions of the division entail:

Directorate of Administrative and Support Services

The State Department for the ASALs and Regional Development is committed to providing quality services to all and is guided by the Core Values which staff adhere to for efficient service delivery to the public. 

The directorate comprises the following departments;

Administration Services

As a guiding factor, the State Department has an operational Directorate of Administrative Services which plans its work subsequently through following the guiding principles that thrives towards attaining the following Vision and Mission;

Accounting

Roles of the accounts unit is to :-

·       Undertake overall management of financial resources;

·       Prepare financial and accounting reports such as imprest and expenditure returns;

·       Collate financial estimates

·       Undertake financial and accounts analysis

·       Extract and provide cash liquidity analysis

·       Receipt all monies due and payable to government

·       Undertake cost and management accounting

·       Prepare and timely submit statutory and management financial reports                                                 

       Finance

The roles of the finance unit is to :-

•  Advise on all financial policies as well as ensure sound accounting principles and controls are applied to all financial transactions
• Interpret financial policies on budgeting and accounting methods
• Prepare expenditure and Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) funding returns
• Provide guidance, control and management of expenditure
• Coordinate preparation of budgets
• Undertake resource bidding for the State Department.

Human Resource Management and Development

The roles of the Human Resources Management and Development department is to :-

•         Provide strategic direction in the management of an effective, efficient and professional Human Resource (HR)
•      Interpret and implement Human Resource Policies, Procedures and Systems
•      Manage industrial relations
•      Coordinate recruitment, appointment, promotions and remuneration processes
•      Manage staff separations and processing of terminal benefits
•      Budget for personnel emoluments
•      Manage employee relations
•      Coordinate and manage staff welfare
•      Coordinate performance management and incentive systems
•      Manage staff training and development programmes
•      Automate human resources and administration records
•      Update, maintain and safeguard Human resource records
•      Carry out staff sensitization on HIV/AIDS, substance and drug abuse
•      Mainstream gender and disability issues
•      Promote organization learning and development.

Supply Chain Management

The role of Supply Chain Management Unit is to: -

•  Guide the interpretation and implementation of the Public Procurement Assets and Disposal Act of 2015 (PPADA, 2015)
• Implement and monitor standard operating procedures to ensure that they are in conformity with the PPADA, 2015
• Coordinate preparation and execution of Annual Procurement Plan
•  Compile requirements for tendering and quotations
• Design stores coding systems
• Prepare contracts for supply of goods and provision of services
• Prepare board of survey plans and organize meetings for disposal of unserviceable, obsolete and surplus assets
• Provide secretariat services for evaluation Committees
•  Inspect stores and works
• Carry out market research and advise on the effect of market forces
• Prepare periodic reports for submissions to the PPDA
• Prepare asset disposal plans and coordinate the actual disposal.

Public Communications 

The roles Public Communication Unit is to :-

•       v Develop appropriate public communication strategies;
•         Prepare information, education and communication materials (IEC)
•       Undertake media liaison and media monitoring;
•          Provide interface between the State Department and other stakeholders/stakeholder engagement;
•          Initiate and implement Corporate Public Relation programmes;
•          Coordinate preparation of official speeches;
•          Coordinate and develop communication materials i.e. newsletter;
•          Coordinate Crisis Communication;
•          Undertake advocacy for programmes;
•          Enhance online presence (Website publishing, updating Twitter, FaceBook and WhatsApp);
•          Increase understanding and awareness of the State Department and its activities; and
•          Provide support to technical departments on communication matters.

 Telephone Services

The role of the Telephone Service function is to provide efficient telephone communication linkages to facilitate transaction of business for efficient and effective service delivery. Specifically, the function involves provision of telephone services to State Department and includes the following:

• Telephone Exchange Operation: This entails operating telephone switchboards; routine testing of PABX equipment and telephone exchange lines; preparation and maintenance of records and other clerical work in the telephone exchanges.
•   Telephone Exchange Supervision: This entails supervision of telephone exchanges; organizing and management of staff; maintenance of telephone exchanges and ensuring cost effective utilization of the telephone facilities; liaising with other relevant organizations on procurement and installation of telephone equipment/facilities, and telephone spare parts/accessories; and payment of telephone bills.
•    Telephone Service Management: This involves overall management of the Government Telephone Service and is restricted at the Ministry of State for Public Service. Specifically, the Function entails staffing; monitoring and inspection of telephone exchanges; training and development of telephone personnel; collection and evaluation of telephone traffic and human resource data on the existing telephone facilities; and advising on acquisition, installation and utilization of telephone facilities.

Legal Services

Roles of the legal Unit is to:-

•  Manage litigations and advice on procedures and legal requirements on legal matters relating to property management, staff discipline and any other issues that may attract litigation;
•           Advise on corporate governance;
•           Advise on legal and regulatory matters;
•           Coordinate on issuance of legal undertakings;
•          Monitor compliance with the legal regulatory framework;
•          Participate in design and implementation of local agreements, international documents and contracts;
•          Ensure safe custody of collateral, chattels and other organization properties;
•          Advise on negotiations on corporate deals;
•          Liaise with external lawyers and other legal bodies
•       Carry out research and prepare detailed legal opinions on matters relating to legal notices, interpret and advice on other related laws.

Information Communication Technology

The roles of the ICT department are:-

•            Spearhead implementation of policies and strategies on Information Communication Technology;
•      Record and verify data on Information Communication Technology facilities for purposes of accountability, inventory control and maintenance as per procedure manuals;
•          Prepare routine operations/maintenance and reports on performance of computer hardware and software;
•          Convert data to Information Communication Technology system formats;
•          Administer servers/internet;
•          Study and develop operational procedures and sequences for software development;
•         Provide technical advice to Information Communication Technology users;
•          Manage vendors and network security;
•          Safeguard integrity/security of information and ensure data recovery;
•          Manage Information Communication Technology training programmes;
•          Develop and implement Information Communication Technology standards
• Design, administer and maintain Information Communication Technology and telecommunication projects.

Internal Audit

The roles of the internal audit department are:-

•          Carry out independent tests and assessment of compliance with policies, procedures and regulations;
•          Ensure adequacy of internal controls and adherence to set standards;
•          Undertake procedural audit to assure effectiveness of existing internal control systems;
•          Audit all payments made to ensure compliance with budgetary provisions, policies and procedures;
•          Implement audit plans and programs;
•          Prepare audit reports for review by the external auditors;
•          Carry out technical audits of projects and programmes to ensure compliance with set standards;
•          Audit assets and accounting systems to ascertain efficiency and effectiveness;
•          Verify statutory reports;
•          Compare records with physical assets;
•          Ensure reliability of financial reporting;
•          Evaluate costs and benefits
•       Document and analyze processes and costs.

Planning

Roles of the CPPMD is to :-

•   Coordinate the formulation, implementation and review of national and sectoral development plans, policies and strategies.
• Ensure linkage between the national and sectoral policies, plans and budget.
• Monitor, evaluate and report progress on implementation of the national development Blueprints, policies, programmmes and projects.
• Develop, coordinate implement and report on the Ministry /State Department strategic plan and performance contract;
• Uploading, updating information and generating Ministry/State department projects/programme reports in the Electronic National Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation system (e-NIMES);
• Conduct sector-specific economic analysis and research on topical and emerging socio-economic analysis and research on topical and emerging socio-economic issues to inform policy formulation and planning;
•  Ensure conformity to norms and standards on economic development planning;
• Liaise with the National Planning Offices at the County level in coordinating the national Government economic planning functions;
• Preparing periodic sector-specific progress reports
• Conduct impact assessment of Ministries and state Department programmes and projects
• Coordinate prefeasibility and feasibility studies in the Ministries and State Departments
• Updating and maintaining a Knowledge Management Repository
• Collecting and analyzing data for public expenditure tracking surveys, programmes and project evaluation
• Coordinate implementation of international commitments, regional integration issues including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa Agenda 2063, and economic partnerships;
• Secretariat to project committees and enforcing compliance to Public Investment Management (PIM) guidelines
• Ensure timely, efficient and effective implementation of programmes and projects
• Ensure prudent utilization and management of resources allocated to the CPPMDs in Undertaking the above functions.