Posted in Press Release
The Principal Secretary (PS), State Department of East African Community Integration, Ministry of EAC, Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Kenya Ms. Betty Maina has lauded Kiswahili stakeholders in East Africa for championing the development and use of the language in regional integration.
Addressing participants at the official opening of a two-day Validation Workshop for the Strategic Plan of the East African Kiswahili Commission (EAKC) on Thursday, 23rd June 2016 at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in Nairobi, Ms. Maina commended delegates drawn from all the EAC Partner States for using Kiswahili to sensitize the citizenry on the integration process and progress. Noting that Kiswahili is an integral part of the integration project and sustainable development for the region, the PS called for concerted efforts to support the Commission.
The PS called on the stakeholders to distil specific actionable areas that would have visible and tangible results that will be applicable and presentable to the public and other stakeholders. She challenged the stakeholders to brainstorm on possible sources of alternative funding to facilitate and enhance staff expansion and infrastructural development. She reminded the Commission that while considering request for supplementary budget, it should go beyond traditional funding and think about alternative resource mobilization.
The Executive Secretary of the East African Kiswahili Commission, Prof Kenneth Simala assured participants of the Commission’s commitment to executing its mandate of coordinating and promoting the development and use of Kiswahili in East Africa and the diaspora, where Kiswahili is the fastest spreading African language.
The Validation Workshop was closed on Friday 24th June, 2016 by Mr. Joe Okudo, Principal Secretary, State Department of Arts and Culture; Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts who noted that Kiswahili is quickly becoming a Pan-African language of identity. He urged stakeholders to take the lead in promoting the development and use of Kiswahili.
The Validation Workshop was the third in a week-long series of meetings organized by the EAKC to discuss effective operationalization and implementation of its mandate. The workshops were attended by over 143 delegates from across the Community.
University Kiswahili Staff and Student Exchange Programme
The first workshop on Monday, 20th June, 2016 was on the theme ‘University Kiswahili Staff and Student Exchange in the EAC and Beyond’ and was attended by Chairpersons of Departments of Kiswahili and Graduate Students from both public and private universities. Specific objectives of the Workshop were: To initiate linkages for students and staff exchange Programmes among East African Universities and beyond. A second objective was to establish stakeholders associations at national and regional levels as drivers of the first goal.
On Curriculum Reform, Change and Innovation
On 21st – 22nd June, 2016, EAKC in partnership with DAAD Regional Office in Nairobi held a workshop on ‘Curriculum Reform, Change and Innovation at Universities in East Africa’. Facilitated by distinguished scholars from across the region, the workshop also had presentations made by teachers of Kiswahili, media practitioners, government officials and DAAD alumni from EAC Partner States. Sharing experiences and learning from best practices, stakeholders at the workshop observed that the fast pace of globalization and regionalization has resulted in internalization of education and the need for staff and student mobility in East Africa and beyond. Among the key milestones of the workshop are: a Report; Mentorship Programme of DAAD Alumni for Kiswahili Scholars and Students; Roadmap on East African University Kiswahili Staff and Student Exchange Programme; National Associations of University Departments of Kiswahili; Association of East African Kiswahili media Practitioners.
Milestones and deliverables
At the end of the Workshop, the following milestones were achieved:
- Draft Policy on University Kiswahili Staff-Student Exchange Programme in East Africa and beyond;
- Linkages initiated between staff and students of Kiswahili in East African Universities;
- National Associations of Chairpersons of Departments of Kiswahili in East African Universities;
- East African Association of Chairpersons of Departments of Kiswahili at Universities;
- National Associations of Kiswahili Media Operators in East Africa;
- East African Association of Kiswahili Media Operators;
- Workshop Report on ‘Curriculum Reform, Change and Innovation at Universities in East Africa’.
- Workshop Proceedings from Facilitators (to be edited into a ten-chapter book)
- Validated EAKC Strategic Plan (2016/7 -2020/1);
- Report of the Validation Workshop.
Posted in Press Release
The Lake Victoria Fisheries Management Plan III (FMP III) 2016 – 2020 whose goal is: “Recovery of biomass of Nile perch with Sustainable utilisation of fisheries resources of Lake Victoria basin with equitable opportunities and benefits”, was yesterday launched at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania on 28th June 2016.
The FMP III is expected to guide the sustainable management of the fisheries resources and thus contribute to poverty alleviation and improvement of livelihoods, in line with the EAC Vision and Strategy Framework for Management and Development of the Lake Victoria basin; “a prosperous population, living in a healthy and sustainably managed environment providing equitable opportunities and benefits”.
Gracing the event as the Guest of Honour was Dr. Yohana Budeba; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Tanzania, who launched the FMP III. In his remarks, he welcomed the fisheries stakeholders present at the meeting to the venue. He began by emphasising the value of fisheries as a resource within the EAC region, adding that it provides massive opportunities because it is a source of income, it creates employment opportunities in both industrial and artisanal processing, it is a source of food rich in omega III, iron, zinc and calcium which can go a long way in addressing malnutrition and stunted growth in children and it also attracts foreign exchange from exports to more than 20 countries internationally.
Also present at the launch was the Executive Secretary for Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation; Godfrey Monor who reported that there are several challenges that the Lake Victoria Fisheries is faced with which FMP III aims to address. These include: increased fishing pressure as a result of increasing demand and rising prices of fish and fisheries products; inadequate and unsustainable funding to implement research and agreed management interventions; increased illegalities due to weak enforcement; inadequate infrastructure for fish quality and safety, under developed aquaculture to meet the demand of fish and relieve fishing pressure from capture fishery, and other challenges caused by climate change. “In order to curtail the decline of natural resources within and around the Lake, the commitment from the Partner States should be translated to action for sustainability of our fisheries resources”.
On behalf of Hon. Jesca Eriyo; the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, the Senior Livestock and Fisheries Officer; Timothy Wesonga affirmed that the FMP III was developed in a consultative manner in which key stakeholders were consulted and involved. Therefore, there was a reckonable sense of ownership and participation in the development of the FMP III. “The FMP III is amongst a number of instruments developed by EAC to direct the management of fisheries resources in Lake Victoria. Other EAC fisheries instruments that have been developed include the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures, the Aquaculture Strategy, FMP I and II and the upcoming Fisheries and aquaculture Sector Policy which is being developed to guide the sector for better management. “Now that we have a number of instruments in place, efforts should be concerted towards implementing these instruments.”
In a bid to support this, he urged that the national governments involved in the Lake Victoria fisheries resource management process to mainstream their collaborative approach by factoring in strategic investments for this purpose in their national budgets in the next financial year.” Mr. Wesonga also appreciated the efforts of the Task Force in developing the FMP III document and proposed that they should explore avenues for mobilisation of funds to support implementation of the FMP III.
The FMP III aims to address emerging issues in the Lake Victoria fisheries with focus on: introduction of user rights in the management of Lake Victoria; introduction of a domesticated Fishing Craft Management System (FCMS) for Lake Victoria waters; introduction of fisheries and aquaculture incubation enterprises; demand driven research; use of Information Technology to better manage the fisheries resources and regular economic evaluation of fisheries resources.
In his closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary encouraged close collaboration between LVFO and LVBC in addressing the issues around Lake Victoria and fisheries resources, highlighting the dependence of fish on water as their natural habitat. Dr. Yohana also called upon the Directors of Fisheries management and Research to strengthen linkages with the Devolved/Decentralised Governments in implementing the FMP III.
He concluded by appreciating the support from Lake Victoria Environment Management Project Phase II (LVEMP II), funded by the World Bank. He also commended members from the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO), Partner States representatives from the Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministries, the Beach Management Unit stakeholders, Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), the LVBC Executive Secretary Dr. Ali Said Matano and the EAC Secretariat, all present at the launch for their efforts and participation.