Posted in Press Release
East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 7th November, 2017:
A four-day training workshop on the East African Community integration process for Public Communications Officers and journalists from media houses in the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) kicked off at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania today.
The workshop is part of a comprehensive capacity building programme on the integration process to enhance the young nation’s integration into the Community.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Infrastructure, Eng. Kamugisha Kazaura, at the official opening of the workshop, EAC Secretary General, Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko, said that the Community had put in place a roadmap to gradually integrate the world’s youngest nation into the Community’s structures, programmes and activities.
“The capacity building programme for RSS government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and other stakeholders will focus on all aspects around the EAC integration,” said Amb. Mfumukeko.
He said that the EAC Heads of State Summit had at their 18th Ordinary Meeting held in Dar es Salaam on 20th May, 2017 appointed a judge from South Sudan to sit on the bench of the First Instance Division of the East African Court of Justice which is based in Arusha.
“RSS will later appoint a judge to the Court’s Appellate Division once the relevant laws are amended to raise the number of judges from five to six. RSS has also appointed a Defence Liaison Officer to the EAC Secretariat as is required of all Partner States,” said the Secretary General.
“The Judiciary in the RSS also agreed to provide space for the EACJ to establish a sub-registry like is the case in the capital cities of the other EAC Partner States,” said Amb. Mfumukeko, adding that the sub-registry would enable any person who files a case with the Court to do so in Juba without traveling all the way to Arusha.
On the East African Legislative Assembly, the Secretary General disclosed that the South Sudan National Legislative Assembly had already elected nine Members of Parliament to represent the country in the Assembly.
“The Assembly will start its business the moment the Republic of Kenya finalizes the election of the country’s MPs to the regional Parliament,” he said.
The training has drawn nine Public Communication Officers from Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and 14 reporters/editors from various media houses in South Sudan. The objective of the training is to actively engage the participants with a view to enhancing their appreciation of the EAC integration process.
The Secretary General singled out the media as a strategic ally in the integration process saying that the Community would always endeavour to strengthen its relationship with the media for efficient communication.
He said that the EAC has overtime organised media training workshops on specific sectors and specialized matters on the integration so that journalists can report EAC issues effectively and with accuracy.
“The mass media are powerful tools for raising awareness on various issues. The media therefore stand out as a special stakeholder group that ought to be educated if the EAC integration message is to trickle down to opinion leaders at the grassroots,” he said.
In his remarks, the GIZ Programmes Officer, Mr. Bernd Multhaup, said that there was a lot of information coming out of the EAC daily in various sectors including education, culture, ICT, political affairs, tourism, among other areas.
“I urge you to be creative, investigative and honest in delivering content to the public. Responsible journalism is at the centre of building nations, fostering peace and unity among the different stakeholders and this can be of particular benefit to a young nation like yours and East Africa,” Mr. Multhaup told the participants.
Noting that regional integration was a process that would take time, Multhaup urged the participants to lobby their government, the civil society, citizens and other non-state actors to join in, and create a powerful knowledge base on the benefits of EAC integration.
“Today, a unique training starts, especially focused on building your capacities as editors, journalists and communication officers. Take advantage of this opportunity and challenge your writing and reporting skills,” he said.
-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 2008:9001 Certified
Posted in Press Release
EAC Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 7th November 2017:
Preparations are in high gear for the Joint EAC Heads of State Retreat on Infrastructure and Health Financing and Development slated for 29th November 2017 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala Uganda.
Convened under the Theme “Deepening and Widening Regional Integration in Infrastructure and Health Sector Development in the EAC Partner States”, the Joint Retreat will be the first engagement of the EAC Heads of State to address health issues and the fourth on matters of infrastructure financing and development.
The Joint Retreat is expected to give impetus to infrastructure and health development by way of possible funding commitments, political support to flagship projects, possible Public Private Partnership arrangements as well as the development of a projects implementation roadmap.
On Infrastructure matters, the Heads of State are expected to address the development of quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure and quicker delivery of the same, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all. In addition the Heads of State will discuss rapid enhancement of transport efficiency in the EAC through the development of interconnected multimodal transport systems (rail, road, pipelines, inland waterways, airports and seaports among others), which would result in the reduction of transportation costs and times and improved movement of the factors of production.
With regard to the health sector, the Heads of State Retreat will seek to build consensus on regional health sector investment priorities for the attainment of Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals; Mobilize investments for the identified health sector priorities; as well as revitalize regional partnerships and linkages for improved health outcomes in the EAC Partner States.
The Joint Retreat will be preceded by separate Infrastructure and Health sector Investors’ and Development Partners’/Donor’s roundtables scheduled for 28th November 2017 at the same venue. The sub-themes for the infrastructure and health sector components are, “Enhancing Infrastructure Development to Facilitate Trade and Accelerate Industrialization in the EAC” and “Investing in Health Infrastructure, Systems, Services and Research for the Accelerated Attainment of Universal Health Coverage and Health-Related Sustainable Development Goals” respectively.
The Retreat Programme includes an Infrastructure and Health Sector International Exhibition that will run from 28th to 29th November, also at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala Uganda. The Exhibition will provide a platform for players in the Infrastructure and Health sectors to showcase new products and services as well as exhibit the latest advances in research and innovation.
Exhibitors will include Pharmaceutical and Medical Technologies Manufactures and Dealers; Health Insurance Providers; Regional Centres of Excellence for Healthcare; Network of Reference Laboratories; Traditional/alternative Medicine Producers, Infrastructure Contractors (Ports, Railways, Airlines, Oil and Gas); Investment Banks; Telecommunication Companies; Civil Society Organizations; Community Based Organizations; Private Sector; Academic and Research Institutions; as well as Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies among many others.
The Joint EAC Heads of State Retreat on Infrastructure and Health Financing and Development is being organized by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the EAC Partner States and leading international and regional Development Partners.
For more information on the Joint Retreat, visit the retreat website: www.eacihr17.eac.int
-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 2008:9001 Certified
