East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 17th April, 2023: The East African Community (EAC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at renewing and strengthening cooperation in addressing issues on refugee and asylum seekers in need of international protection, across the region.
The MoU was signed at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania by the EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki and the UNHCR Regional Director for the East, Horn and Great Lakes Regions, Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami and will among other things, promote the rights of East Africans to seek and enjoy asylum for persons in need of international protection in accordance with international refugee law and uphold the non-derogable principle of non-refoulment within the region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 17th April, 2023:The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat with support from the World Customs Organization (WCO) under the European Union funded HS Africa Program, has commenced the process of digitalization of its Common External Tariff (CET). The digitalization efforts are aimed at enhancing the participation and access to trade information of the private sector in international trade.
The platform, which is currently under development in partnership with Global Trade Solution (GTS), will enable seamless migration of the EAC CET during transposition of Harmonized System (HS); administration and management of the Duty Remission Scheme (including application, assessment, approval and gazettement); production of information and publication of other measures affecting implementation of CET.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 7th April, 2023: The East African Community (EAC) in collaboration with the Arusha and Moshi Rwandan Community and the UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (UN-MICT) on Friday commemorated the 29th Anniversary of the Genocide Against the Tutsi at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The commemoration event themed “Remember-Unite-Renew” was preceded by a ‘Walk to Remember’ and laying of wreaths at the Commemoration Monument at the EAC gardens as a tribute to the more than one million innocent lives lost through the heinous extermination of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 6th April,2023: The East African Community in collaboration with the Rwandan Community in Arusha and Kilimanjaro, the Arusha Region Authorities and the UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals will commemorate the 29th Anniversary of the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania on 7th April, 2023.
This year, Rwanda marks the 29th commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Themed “Remember – Unite - Renew”, the commemoration which is done annually on this date is an occasion to pay tribute to the more than one million innocent lives lost through the heinous extermination of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 3rd March, 2023: The 38th Extra Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (Ex-SCTIFI) dedicated to Industrialization concluded over the weekend in Kilimanjaro, United Republic of Tanzania.
The five-day meeting from 28th March to 1st April, 2023 considered the progress of the reports of the implementation of the directives in the sector, Cotton, Textiles and Apparel (CTA) Strategy; Leather & Leather Products Strategy and Automotive Industry Action Plan.
In addition, the meeting considered EAC Industrialization Policy Implementation Action Plan; the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; Fruits and Vegetables Strategy and Action Plan; and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan of Action.
East African Court of Justice. Arusha, Tanzania 31st March ,2023 : The Judge President of the East African Court of Justice, Hon. Nestor Kayobera and the Deputy Registrar, Her Worship Ms. Christine Mutimura concluded a 2-day working visit in Kigali, Rwanda.
The aim of the visit was to offset preparations for the 3rd Annual East African Court of Justice Judicial Conference which is scheduled to take place from 30th October- 1st November, 2023 and the Annual Rotational November Court Session of the East African Court of Justice, which shall take place from 2nd to 31st November 2023 both events in Kigali, Rwanda.
East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania, 29th March, 2023: The Heads of the East African Community (EAC) Organs and Institutions must work hard to address factors that limit or constrain the construction of a larger EAC internal market in order to increase its share in global trade and economy.
This was said by His Excellency Evariste Ndayishimiye, the President of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson, EAC Heads of Summit, while presiding over the official opening of the 3rd Meeting of the 1st Session of the 5th East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) at the National Assembly Buildings in Bujumbura, Burundi.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 29th March, 2023: The East African Community has launched the 2022 Reproductive, Maternal, New-Born, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Digital Scorecard for the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
Officiating at the launch of the scorecard, the Minister of Health in the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Hon. Nassor Ahmed Mazrui, said that the digital scorecard was an innovative intervention aimed at promoting accountability while improving access to health data, information and knowledge sharing for better results, better tracking and stronger oversight for women’s and children’s health.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 20th March, 2023:National consultations for the drafting of the Constitution of the EAC Political Confederation are set to resume across EAC Partner States; with the Republic of Kenya set to hold the sessions in May 2023.
Regional constitutional experts drafting the EAC Political Federation Constitution, are set to hold consultations with various stakeholders amongst them; the civil society, local leaders, opinion leaders and the business community to seek their views on what kind of Political Confederation they would desire for the EAC.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 16th March, 2023: Academic institutions and private sector companies in the East African Community (EAC) have been urged to develop strong partnerships to produce graduates with skills to succeed in employment.
Speaking at the 12th Academia-Public-Private Partnership Forum (APPPF) and Exhibition held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Chief Guest, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Prof. Adolf Faustine Mkenda, urged educational institutions, and the private sector to work together to produce market-driven programmes that are responsive to the dynamic needs of the labour market and train graduates that are relevant for the socio-economic development of the region.
Dr. Irene C. Isaka, the Director Social Sectors at the EAC Secretariat, representing the EAC Secretary General, urged academic institutions to work with the private sector to develop curricula that is in tandem with the requirements of the labour market.
“I would like to encourage you to continue to work together to constantly review and adapt your curricula to remain in tandem with the current development agenda of the region, and requirements of the labour market,” Dr Isaka said.
The IUCEA Executive Secretary, Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, observed that skills required to succeed in employment are constantly evolving which necessitates close collaboration between the private sector and higher education institutions to keep pace with the changes demands in the world of work.
“The reality of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning demonstrates the need to continuously revise and alter our training to develop learners that are able to adapt to the changing demands in employment. Some of the skills learnt today in our various learning ecosystems become outdated even before students graduate. Therefore, it is only through strong partnerships between academia and the private sector that we shall be able to identify skills required for future success in the job market,” said Prof. Banyankimbona.
Mr. Johannes Sperrfechter, BMZ Representative and Head of Regional Development Cooperation at German Embassy, on behalf of the Ambassador, Dr Regine Hess, disclosed that the German Government had committed 2.5m Euros additional funds to the dSkills@EA project to strengthen its support and initiatives in the Master Programme, digital skills trainings and entrepreneurship support.
Amb. Hess said that IUCEAA and GIZ will sign their implementation agreement on Friday at the conference.
The Chief Executive Officer of the East African Business Council (EABC), Mr John Bosco Kalisa said to achieve greater productivity, countries must focus on demand-driven technical and vocational education, entrepreneurship, and business training programmes tied to sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.
"Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines require special attention focusing on the transfer and adoption of technology," said Mr. Kalisa.
The APPPF is a biennial forum that brings together universities, technical and vocational colleges, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and private sector to deliberate on how to foster joint dialogue and enhance the linkage between the private sector and higher education institutions, as well as government institutions. This year’s forum was organised by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) in partnership with the German Cooperation, through GIZ, the East African Business Council (EABC) and Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU).
For more Information contact:
Godwin Bonge Muhwezi, Communication Officer Inter University Council Tel: 256 414 256 251/2 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.iucea.org
Anthony Taiti Head of Corporate Affairs Pan African University Tel: +254730955555 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. About Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA)
Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) is an institution of the East African Community (EAC) responsible for development and coordination of higher education and research in the region. IUCEA members include accredited public and private universities, commissions and councils responsible for Higher education in EAC Partner States.
For more information, please visit theIUCEA website.
