Ambassadors resolve to leverage on cultural diplomacy to promote EAC
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 5th November, 2021: Ambassadors from EAC Partner States in Washington DC, USA, have committed to collaboratively cultivate cultural diplomacy to promote investment in the EAC bloc.
The resolution was made during a consultative virtual meeting with the EAC Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki, which discussed areas of collaboration in strengthening the regional integration agenda.
Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to USA in Washington D.C, Amb. Elsie Kanza, emphasized the need for East Africans to come together to promote African culture as a strategy to spark interest in the region.
“We need to encourage and organize East African cultural festivals, embrace donning East African attire and promote East African organizations to attract and popularize our region,” she said.
Amb. Kanza also challenged the EAC to avail marketing materials to all ambassadors in the region to advertise the region in their engagements and push for resolution of non-tariff barriers.
The Ambassadors called for deeper collaboration with the EAC Secretariat in identifying specific competitive sectors setting the region apart and promoting them to the world.
Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to USA in Washington D.C, Amb. Lazarus Amayo who chaired the meeting, noted the need for EAC to promote itself as a single tourist and investment destination.
“EAC needs to be proactive in pushing the integration agenda in the USA to prompt interest in investment and development partners,” he said.
Amb. Mull Katende, Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda to USA in Washington D.C, emphasized on the need for promotion of industrialization to promote the regions’s competitiveness.
Further, Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to USA in Washington D.C, Ambassador Phillip Jada called on East Africans living in the diaspora to be proactive in their activities and utilize regional institutions such as the East African Chamber of Commerce to provide forums of engagement.
On his part, the EAC Secretary General Dr. Peter Mathuki provided an overview of his agenda for the region which includes; working towards reduction of non-tariff barriers to promote intra-EAC trade and increasing markets for EAC goods.
The Secretary General called on the envoys to speak with one voice and be strategic partners in sharing development opportunities to the region.
Also in the meetings were representatives from the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Burundi, and other senior officers from the EAC Secretariat.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka
Senior Public Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 768 552087
Email: sowaka [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001: 2015 Certified