Burundi is set to host the 8th East African Community (EAC) university students’ debate on regional integration on October 18-19, 2023, the EAC said in a statement on Friday, Sept.1st, 2023.
The debate is expected to bring together representatives from academia, the private sector, civil society, media and technocrats from the East African region, development partners, and relevant stakeholders, a statement from the EAC.
Under the theme “EAC integration, peacebuilding, and youth participation” the debates and subsequent sensitization activities will create an enabling environment for students and youth to play an active role in the integration process and offer space that enables them to learn more about the benefits, challenges, and opportunities of the EAC integration, said the statement.
The best debaters will be appointed, trained, and inducted as EAC Youth Ambassadors 2023-2024 with an obligation to spearhead peer learning, sensitization, and outreach programs in their respective universities and communities, said the statement.
In the spirit of promoting a sense of “Eastafricaness”, it is expected that by the end of the debate, a bond will have been created among the students thereby shaping and nurturing the East African identity among the youth, in the long run.
Participants would have been empowered to continue engaging in dialogue on matters of EAC integration, immigration management, and curbing corruption to promote stability and socioeconomic development.
Source : Region Week