EAC educates border residents over integration

Transit cargo trucks awaiting clearance at the Malaba border. The East African Community has begun an awareness programme in a bid to ensure border residents understand better the regional bloc’s integration agenda. PHOTO/RAPHAEL WANJALA 

In Summary

• The programme dubbed ‘EAC Regional Programme for Sensitisation of Border Communities’ started on June 24 at Rusumo town, which sits at the border of Rwanda and Tanzania.
• The programme also seeks to ensure border communities identify the stakes and opportunities of the EAC integration.
• Microjustice Rwanda’s (MJR) aims at increasing cross-border trade within the context of the East African Community (EAC).
• For this reason, Microjustice Rwanda (founded in 2011) operates in Kigali city and at the Gatuna/Katuna border with Uganda in Gicumbi District.

By LUCAS BARASA
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The East African Community has begun an awareness programme in a bid to ensure border residents understand better the regional bloc’s integration agenda.

 

The programme dubbed ‘EAC Regional Programme for Sensitisation of Border Communities’ started on June 24 at Rusumo town, which sits at the border of Rwanda and Tanzania.

Besides raising general awareness among border communities in the EAC region, it specifically focuses on small scale traders to enhance their understanding of the bloc’s integration agenda.

The programme also seeks to ensure the communities identify the stakes and opportunities of the EAC integration.

Speaking during the official opening on behalf of the EAC Principal Public Relations Officer, the EAC/GIZ Media Expert, Mr Sukhdev Chhatbar, emphasised on the importance of empowering the common ‘mwananchi’ at the grass-root level.

This, he said, would enhance their involvement and active participation in building a strong foundation for a people-centred EAC integration process.

He added that East Africans are the key beneficiaries of the integration course.

“There is need to ensure that the citizens of EAC Partner States are well equipped with the necessary tools and skills to actively participate in the regional integration process and therefore contribute to the overall development of the region." he added.

Microjustice Rwanda (MJR) made a presentation on the Customs Union and Common Market opportunities, benefits, requirements and processes.

The presentation also included procedures for acquiring legal documents for free movement of goods, services, labour and capital at the border posts.

Participants raised concerns on various issues assumed to affect the smooth undertaking of business across the border points, including non-adherence of the EAC treaty, as well as corruption within the customs and immigration departments.

The concerns were subsequently addressed by representatives from the Ministries of East African Community Affairs from Rwanda and Tanzania, also present at the workshop.
The next sensitisation workshop is set to be carried out at Manyovu and Mugina towns in Tanzania and Burundi respectively next week.

The programme is expected to adequately familiarise stakeholders with the benefits and opportunities of the EAC integration process, particularly the Customs Union, the Common Market and the rights and freedoms established under these protocols to achieve the EAC mission, which is to widen and deepen economic, political, social and cultural integration.

The EAC integration agenda aims at improving the quality of life of the people of East Africa through increased competitiveness, value added production, trade and investments.