{"id":422,"date":"2013-09-30T11:00:41","date_gmt":"2013-09-30T10:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/blogs\/english\/?p=422"},"modified":"2013-09-30T11:00:41","modified_gmt":"2013-09-30T10:00:41","slug":"eac-integration-process-campaign-together-for-one-destiny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/eac-integration-process-campaign-together-for-one-destiny\/","title":{"rendered":"EAC integration process campaign: together for one destiny"},"content":{"rendered":"

EAC citizens must take all advantages offered by the community. However, Burundian people are still unaware of what is happening and don\u2019t then benefit from the full advantages offered in the community. The Ministry in Charge of EAC Affairs calls upon everyone to contribute for bridging the gap<\/strong> – By Diane Uwimana <\/em><\/p>\n

\"Leontine<\/a>

Leontine Nzeyimana, the Minister in Charge of EAC Affairs: \u201cThe success will depend on everybody\u2019s effort and energy.\u201d \u00a9Iwacu<\/p><\/div>\n

Partner States are gathered in one community for multiple purposes related to affection, benefit, threat, power…. Moreover, the population in EAC should feel that appropriate measures have been taken by authorities to achieve free movement of persons, labour, services, and right of establishment and residence within the community.
\nHowever, most of Burundians are unaware of what is happening in the community. \u201cWe don\u2019t have any idea of what EAC is; we don\u2019t realize how it is beneficial for us. We get information from the radio but we don\u2019t know exactly what kind of advantages we should gain,\u201d says one woman, met at Bujumbura City Council. \u201cNow, we feel as if we are not concerned about its development and don\u2019t do anything to contribute in that development,\u201d adds another one.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, there are some people who have already realized that Burundi integration into EAC is very positive. Melchior M., a seller of foodstuff in Bujumbura City Council market has this to say: \u201cthe President has decided to reduce prices for food originated from EAC even though the decision hasn\u2019t lasted long.\u201d During that period, both sellers and buyers were happy of the measure, he indicates.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegional integration concerns everybody\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regional integration is a process. It is based on four phases: Common Market, Customs Union, Monetary Union and Political Federation.
\nThe first two steps have been already signed by partner States and the whole EAC citizens must take the total advantages offered.<\/p>\n

The Ministry in Charge of EAC Affairs has set up a one-month campaign to sensitize and inform Burundian people about the regional integration process.
\n\u201cThe surprising case is the recent visit to Burundi trans-border people. They do not know anything about EAC though some of them get some advantages ignorantly,\u201d says Leontine Nzeyimana, the Minister in Charge of EAC Affairs.<\/p>\n

She says that it isn\u2019t quite understandable that Burundi adhered into EAC region six years ago (2007) while its population is still characterized by unawareness and ignorance of what is going on in the community.
\n\u201cThe EAC region exists because of its citizens and for its citizens. If they are not aware of what is running on in the community, this latter doesn\u2019t fulfil its mission accordingly\u201d, says Ambassador Jean Rigi, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry in Charge of EAC affairs.
\n\u201cIntegration is a process. It is our must to let people know everything related to the community. Hence, they should take all advantages consciously,\u201d adds the Minister.
\nIt is worthy to mention that the campaign aims at informing Burundians about advantages and opportunities available in the community. \u201cThe success will depend on everybody\u2019s effort and energy,\u201d adds the Minister.
\nShe goes on saying together (territorial administration, private sector, civil society, religious confessions and consumers), we should make the EAC region where free movement of persons, labour, services, and right of establishment and residence are actually the main features in our daily activities and not existing in texts only.
\nEconie Nijimbere, the Chairman of Burundi Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CFCIB), recognizes that the private sector also faces the same problems as other Burundian People. \u201cFew people know about the advantages given by the community through the Common Exterior Tariffs,\u201d he mentions.<\/p>\n

\"People<\/a>

People from Bujumbura City Council \u00a9Iwacu<\/p><\/div>\n

He indicates that some gaps which still exist in the Common Market and Customs Union should be bridged if everybody gives their contribution and effort to reach the two following next steps i.e. Monetary Union and Political Federation of the community.
\nFor Anthe Vrijlandt, the Country Director of Trademark East Africa, if people are not sensitized very well, they can\u2019t gain any advantage provided by the community. \u201cMedia play a big role in the integration process. Trademark agrees to meet journalists regularly for boosting the way of sensitization. Then, through these channels, the situation should be changed as far as media are very close to people,\u201d clarifies the Country Director.
\nShe indicates that its institution is going to focus on how accelerating the access to EAC market, reducing transport fees (elimination of the non- tariff barriers) and working in warm environment. According to her, it is important and nice to work in peaceful and safe environment but the country should also make much effort to have something to export.
\nFor Grace Achire from Vantage Communication, an agency of communication in Uganda, it is necessary to develop the relationship between the Ministry in Charge of EAC Affairs and the Media in order to be more interactive because they are interdependent as they need each other.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

EAC citizens must take all advantages offered by the community. However, Burundian people are still unaware of what is happening and don\u2019t then benefit from the full advantages offered in the community. The Ministry in Charge of EAC Affairs calls upon everyone to contribute for bridging the gap – By Diane Uwimana Partner States are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[40,216],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iwacu-burundi.org\/englishnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}