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2nd EAC University Students Debate
on Regional Integration
Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges
arising from the EAC Integration for Youth in East Africa
'In this Millennium of Science and Technology, young
men and women are the greatest asset for the present
and future. They represent the driving force behind
social, economic and political reforms in the sphere
of rapid global changes. Our society's progress is
determined among other things by how much we involve
the Youth in building the future. It is therefore important
to prepare Youths as leaders, decision makers, good
citizens, entrepreneurs, parents and guardians, because
they have vital roles to play in the socio-economic
development of the East African Community.'
Dr. Richard Sezibera
Ambassador, Secretary General East African Community
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Background (EAC)
The East African Community (EAC), comprising the Republics of Burundi,
Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and the United Republic of Tanzania, is one
of the fastest growing Regional Economic Communities on the African
continent, but also, in virtue of its political ambitions, worldwide unique.
EAC is, so far, the only Regional Economic Community that has the
objective to attain a Political Federation of East African States. To this
extent, the EAC Partner States have established a Customs Union (2005),
a Common Market (2010) and signed the Protocol for a Monetary Union
(2013). The Monetary Union is expected to be established in 2024. Fasttracking the Political Federation is now a priority for the EAC. The Political
Federation shall create a unified political authority capable of coordinating
policies as well as ensuring sustainable growth and development in
the region. For this endeavour, the involvement of the youth is crucial,
because they can be creative forces, dynamic sources of innovations and
catalysts for important changes.
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Youth as Stakeholders in the EAC Integration
In 2011, it was estimated that the Youth represent 45%
of the total population in the region. This makes them a
critical partner for the EAC to forge forward the regional
integration agenda. The involvement of the Youth in
EAC affairs has been safeguarded through a number of
legislative provisions:
Article 120 (c) of the EAC Treaty provides for the
involvement of the Youth through education, training
and mainstreaming Youth issues into EAC policies
and programmes as one of the strategic interventions
towards the realisation of a fully integrated Community.
In 2013, an EAC Youth Policy was adopted to that effect.
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The first EAC University Students Debate
The first EAC University Students Debate on regional
integration was organised by the EAC Secretariat in Arusha
in August 2012. This event provided for the first time a
regional platform to promote dialogue among university
students and to draw their interest in advocating for
regional integration initiatives. The event brought together
over 100 students from public and private institutions of
higher learning, representatives from the private sector,
civil society, media, technocrats, and academia. It sparked
broad enthusiasm among the youth for the EAC integration
processes.
At the end of the debate, 5 EAC Youth Ambassadors were
appointed to act as focal points for EAC Affairs in their
respective universities. They are supported by the EAC
Secretariat to sensitise their peers on EAC integration
processes, benefits and challenges.
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The second EAC University Students Debate
The second University Students Debate on Regional Integration
took place in September 2013 in Dar es Salaam. Again, more than
100 students from the five Partner States and representatives from
governments, inter-governmental organisations and higher education
institutions came together. The Executive Secretary Professor Mayunga
Nkunya of the Inter-University Council for East Africa participated as
guest of honour.
The student debaters defined their arguments along key milestones in
the EAC integration and it became clear that the opportunities outweigh
the challenges in the integration process.
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The Motion: This House be
arising from the EAC Integr
the challenges
Opportunities against Challenges in EAC Integration
For the Motion (Opportunities)
• Harmonisation of the education systems
• Capital mobility
• Labour mobility
• Student mobility
• Stable political system (peace & security)
• Human enterprise development
• State cooperation
• Population
• Common currency
• Growing foreign direct investments
• Envisaged Political Federation
• Reduced vulnerability
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elieves that the opportunities
ration for the Youth outweigh
Against the Motion (Challenges)
• Diverse languages
• Diverse cultures
• Different levels of economic development
• Different levels of democracy and governance
• Ideological mindset
• Local tariffs/non-tariff barriers
• Lack of political will
• Weak awareness raising platforms
• Poor infrastructure
• 'Cold war' among leaders
• Identity Crisis
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'There are many chances of progress for
the Youth arising from the EAC integration.
Most of the Youth nowadays feel that they
have been left out of politics. But here comes
the East African Community giving them a
chance, a right to be heard in policy meetings
through the East African Youth Council.'
Jacky Mwangi, Kenya
'Youth without education
have nowhere to go.'
Diane Kayiteta, Rwanda
'The world is coming to us
and we have to face it. To face
the world of the 21st century
we have to integrate, no
matter which level we are at,
but integration to me means
development.'
Raymond Maro, former
Youth Ambassador to
Tanzania
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Quips and Quotes
from the Debate
'The Youth is the
backbone of the East
African Community.'
Effie Omondi, Kenya
'One of the main
challenges facing the
East African integration
is the imbalance of
opportunities.'
Janeth Nagai,
Tanzania
'Why should we fight each
other? We shall be brothers of
a super-state called the East
African Community. The major
opportunity of EAC integration
would be improving the
standards of living or the quality
of life of the people of East
Africa.'
Apuuli Babigumira, Uganda
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The Birth of the EAC
Youth Ambassadors' Platform
On the awards night of the 2nd University
Students Debate, the Deputy Secretary
General of Political Federation Mr. Charles
Njoroge launched the EAC Youth Ambassadors
Platform (EACYAP) as a new advocacy forum
for the youth to ensure their participation
in the EAC integration processes. The
platform is coordinated by the respective
Youth Ambassador of each Partner State,
while alumni ambassadors and debaters as
well as all other youth passionate about the
EAC can become members. The Platform
intends to bridge the information gap
about the EAC integration among the youth
through knowledge and experience sharing
and to foster their active participation in
the integration. The Platform facilitates
the establishment of EAC Youth clubs at
universities and higher learning Institutions in
East Africa in order to foster a debate on and
engagement towards the goals of the EAC.
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'The East African Community Youth Ambassadors' Platform seeks to
empower young people to participate actively in society, to improve
their own lives, to advocate for their own interests and to tell other
young people about integration. This platform offers the youth an
opportunity to identify with ongoing integration programmes, to raise
issues affecting them and share experiences for the Youth in their
countries and the region that will help realizing the goal of having
a political federation. In the current political and social context that
affects young people, the Youth can be powerful catalysts for positive
change and contributors of innovative solutions for the region's
problems.' (Quote by Millie Mbedi, former EAC Youth Ambassador to
Kenya).
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Apuuli Babigumira, Uganda
Effie Omondi, Kenya
EAC
Youth Ambassadors'
2014
Sandra Mukesha, Rwanda
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Bertha Tamara, Tanzania
Yves Nduwayezu, Burundi
Awards
Awarding Students Participation
Three categories of awards were presented:
1. T
he Participation Award (certificate) was given to all 30
students who participated as debaters
2. B
est debaters: (1) Effie Omondi - Kenya, (2) Apuuli
Babigumira - Uganda, (3) Michael Mayambala - Uganda,
(4) Daphine Arinda - Uganda, and (5) Charles Mwangi Kenya
3. T
he new Ambassadors and their Deputies
Country
Ambassador
Deputy
Burundi
Yves Nduwayezu
Josiane Nganinka
Kenya
Effie Omondi
Charles Mwangi
Rwanda
Sandra Mukesha
Doris Mutoni
Tanzania
Bertha Tamara
Alice Musetti
Uganda
Apuuli Babigumira
Michael Mayambala
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Selected Recommendations from the Youth Debate
Among others, the Youth Debate Participants called for
The EAC to focus on implementation, with a pragmatic, strategic,
dynamic, and realistic plan for action advancing governance,
underpinned by a clear set of principles and commitment
to address the needs of the youth. It is expected that the
EAC recognises the central role the youth should play in the
integration process.
The Community shall provide strong leadership with clear
responsibilities, enable local action, and provide appropriate
instruments to facilitate the youth involvement.
Consultations on the role of the youth will continue through
various mechanisms, including regional platforms, national level
dialogues, and intergovernmental meetings to help inform the
preparations for and decisions of the youth as a dynamic resource
in the EAC integration. The active engagement of national
constituencies, including local communities, civil society and
private sector, will be a prerequisite for a strong, shared agenda
and a long-term intervention strategy for youth participation.
The EAC, based on the experience from the implementation of
year 1 of Youth Ambassadors, will adopt the Youth Ambassadors
Platform and consider instruments and modalities to ensure its
implementation, in synergy with regional strategies for effective
engagement and other relevant international agendas.
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... and agreed that
Education harmonisation should go beyond higher education to
include basic education.
Deliberate attempts should involve the youth in the EAC integration
process through establishment of EAC clubs in schools and through
community dialogue.
Corruption must be removed from the midst of development.
The step-wise approach adopted by the EAC is good for the citizens
but it is too slow and often not visible enough to be questioned or
championed by the common 'wananchi'.
The EAC and the Partner States should speed up harmonisation of
laws and policies within the framework of the EAC Treaty to provide
clear space for effective participation by all stakeholders to the Treaty.
That EAC streamlines and speeds up follow-up mechanisms on
implementation of decisions and resolutions.
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Institutionalising the EAC University Students
Debate in the EAC Integration Process
The 18th Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers
responsible for EAC Affairs took note of the report of the 1st
EAC Students Debate and the annual nature of the event
(EAC/ SCMEACP18/Decision 12). It urged Partner States to
continue supporting activities of the Youth Ambassadors at
national level and to involve them in national sensitisation
activities (EAC/SCMEACP18/Decision 13).
In line with these decisions, the EAC will continue to hold
the EAC University Students Debate on annual basis and
appoint the 5 winners - one from each Partner State - as
honorary EAC Youth Ambassadors for one year. During their
tenure, their main role will be to coordinate youth dialogue,
sensitisation, and awareness creation on the EAC integration
process.
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Reaching out to the Youth
The 1st and the 2nd EAC Students debate have seen the
formation of EAC Youth Clubs at schools and universities
which resulted in appreciation and constructive youth
dialogues on the integration process. The EAC Youth
Ambassadors were trained in Leadership and Advocacy,
and participated in Training of Trainers workshops on EAC
structures and processes.
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The EAC Nyerere Centre for Peace Research
The Nyerere Centre for Peace Research (NCPR) is a Functional Unit
within the Office of the Department of Political Federation at the East
African Community Secretariat. Its mandate was inspired by the
legacy of peace by the Late Mwalimu Nyerere. The overall objective
of the Centre is to provide the EAC with relevant and timely research,
training and information that contributes to the deepening and
widening of the integration in the areas of peace and security, good
governance and foreign policy coordination. It is also a resource centre
for research papers and studies commissioned by the EAC as part of
the regional integration initiatives. The Centre also promotes youth
dialogue and awareness on ongoing initiatives on regional political
integration to enhance students' interest and coordinates the EAC
Youth Ambassadors Platform.
EAC Nyerere Centre for Peace Research
P.O. Box 1096 Arusha, Tanzania
NCPR web portal www.eac.int/ncpr/index.php
Contact: Isabelle Waffubwa
Email: IWaffubwa@eachq.org
Interact with the EAC and the
East African Youth Ambassadors Platform on
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Imprint
Published by
East African Community (EAC)
www.eac.int
Design and layout
MEDIA DESIGN
www.media-design.me
Photo credits
EAC Photo Service, GIZ
Publishing date
June 2014
EAC Headquarters
3 EAC Close
P.O. Box 1096
Arusha
United Republic of Tanzania
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