1st High Level EAC Youth Ambassadors Dialogue on Regional Integration opens in Arusha
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 5th November, 2018: The 1st High Level EAC Dialogue on Regional Integration themed “Harnessing Young People’s Participation in the Political Process” opened today at the East African Community (EAC) Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The dialogue aims at providing an inclusive space for young people to critically and objectively reflect on the progress made so far; challenges encountered; and prospects for enhancing meaningful youth participation in the political process within the East African Community.
Addressing the meeting, EAC Deputy Secretary General, in charge of Political Federation, Mr. Charles Njoroge, said the EAC recognizes that youth are an integral part, and also an important key resource in socio-political development of the Community. As such, the EAC has been undertaking a number of activities to promote dialogue among the youth that enhances their participation in regional integration.
He informed the meeting that the involvement of the youth in EAC affairs is provided for under Article 120 (c) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, which emphasizes the adoption of a common approach for involvement of the youth in the integration process.
Mr. Njoroge disclosed to the meeting that in a bid to strengthen youth involvement in the EAC integration processes, in July 2013 the EAC Council of Ministers adopted the EAC Youth Policy to guide the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Community's programmes that address youth issues.
“I am confident that during this two day dialogue we will reflect on opportunities for meaningful youth participation in the political processes at the individual, organizational and societal levels,’’ he added.
On his part, the Kenyan Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Dan Kazungu called for the youth to be more involved in EAC affairs in an effort to heighten their understanding and awareness of the EAC integration process.
Amb. Kazungu urged the EAC Secretariat to develop strategic programmes which will further enhance young people’s participation in the regional integration agenda.
Dr, Kirsten Focken Programme Manager for the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) said the dialogue creates a great opportunity for youth to identify the opportunities for meaningful participation and assess young people’s participation in the political processes in East Africa.
Dr. Focken called for the EAC Secretariat to engage and enable the young people of today to lead East Africa tomorrow.
The two-day Platform is being attended by over 50 East African Youth Ambassadors.
Notes to Editors
The East African Community Youth Ambassadors’ Platform (EAC-YAP) was launched during the 2nd University Students’ Debate in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania. It is composed of EAC Youth Ambassadors, alumni Ambassadors, past debate participants and all other youth who are passionate about the EAC. To date, the EAC Youth Ambassadors Platform consists of 150 Members and the numbers are growing on an exponential basis.
This platform brings all the youth together with the purpose of bridging the information gap about the EAC integration and fosters their participation in accelerating the integration through knowledge and experience sharing.
To further deepen the implementation of achieving the Political Federation process in the East African Community and the need for meaningful youth participation in the political processes, the East African Community Youth Ambassadors Platform under the desk of the EAC regional coordinator of youth, the EAC Nyerere Centre for Peace Research(EAC-NCPR will convene ‘the 1st High Level EAC Youth Ambassadors Dialogue on Regional Integration’ the High level dialogue will involve Youth Ambassadors consultations under the theme “Harnessing Young People’s Participation in the Political Process”. This will assess young people’s participation in the political processes in East Africa.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001:2008 Certified