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Arbitrary borders are only artificial-EAC Secretariat

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“The borders of the East African countries Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi were a creation of European colonialism” remarked Rt. Hon. Eriya Kategaya amidst his opening remarks at the

“The borders of the East African countries Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi were a creation of European colonialism” remarked Rt. Hon. Eriya Kategaya amidst his opening remarks at the

East African Community (EAC) Sensitization workshop held at Makerere University on 7th May 2010.

The EAC was consolidated after the signing of a treaty by the Heads of State in 1999 and inaugurated in 2000.

The workshop was geared towards helping students and academic members of staff understand exactly what the EAC was, what it was doing to attain its goal of formation of a community and also act as an invaluable source of feedback on what can be improved within this effort.

Hon. Eriya Kategeya makes his remarks at the workshopsAs far back as 1897, the British tried to revive regional cooperation and integration for they had realized that they could not manage and administer effectively and efficiently small and unviable entities like Uganda Protectorate or Kenya Colony separately.

However, the integration declined and eventually collapsed due to problems such as inadequate involvement of the people in the decision-making process, and ideological differences among partner states.

However, on Friday, the First Deputy Prime Minster and Minister of East African Community Affairs Hon. Kategaya, reassured the congregation that this time around, there would be no such thing as a collapse. “The current East African Community is built on a firmer foundation and measures have been put in place to mitigate any collapse.” The minister highlighted.

In order to avoid another collapse, the current EAC secretariat is making the community more people-centered and market driven. Power has now been decentralized from the summit to the council of ministers; the civil societies, local government and private sector as the key stakeholders. Also, procedures for withdrawal from the community are more stringent and rigid.

Hon. Beatrice Kiraso-EAC Dep. Sec. General “African states continue to be marginal players in the global world. We produce what we do not largely consume. We are the producers of the western world’s raw materials that they sell back to us expensively as processed goods” Hon Beatrice Kiraso, EAC Deputy Secretary General said.

Hon. Kiraso challenged the gathering to stand up against arbitrary borders. These borders are only artificial and are separating Africans that speak the same language and have the same cultures. She also urged that all Ugandans should be in favor of EAC because with it, Uganda ceases to be land locked.

“Countries that are more developed than the African countries have integrated such as the European Union which consists of 27 countries. This justifies our efforts to move towards integration too” added Hon. Kiraso.

With this, it is evident that deeper regional integration has become necessary for sustainable economic survival the world over. Donor countries have found it necessary to integrate for survival- the bigger, the better, the stronger!

In all, it is hoped that with integration, there will be more attractive investment and trading blocks, drastic reduction in the cost of doing business and also free movement of people and goods, among others.

Downloads 

Ministry of East African Community Affairs overview (powerpoint)

Brief Overview of the EAC (powerpoint)

Frequently Asked Questions on the EAC

 

 

 

mwamai@admin.mak.ac.ug, Public Relations Office

Denis Wamala

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Call For Abstracts: National Symposium on Climate Migration among Youths in Uganda

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Call For Abstracts: National Symposium on Climate Migration among Youths in Uganda. Submission Deadline: 9th June 2026

Makerere University, in collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Tufts University, and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), invites researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community actors to submit abstracts for the National Symposium on:

Climate Migration among Youths in Uganda: Local Voices for Policy Impact

Date: Wednesday, 12th August 2026
Venue: Makerere University Main Hall

The symposium will examine the drivers, patterns, and impacts of climate-induced youth migration in Uganda, while advancing evidence-based and community-informed policy responses.

Theme: Climate-Induced Youth Migration and Urban Futures in Uganda: Evidence, Voices, and Pathways for Action

Submission Deadline: 9th June 2026

Submit Abstracts To: citiesofyouth@musph.ac.ug

Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to contribute research findings, case studies, policy analyses, and practice-based experiences. Abstracts will be considered for oral and poster presentations.

Mak Editor

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Call for Research Support Applications from Master’s Students who have Completed their First Year of Taught Classes at Makerere University

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Call for Research Support Applications from Master’s Students who have Completed their First Year of Taught Classes at Makerere University. Photo: Nano Banan 2

Makerere University, in partnership with Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Independent University of Bangladesh, Eduardo Mondlane University, and Pokhara University, with funding from Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED), is implementing a project: ‘Co-creating Knowledge for Local Adaptation to Climate Change in LDCs (COLOCAL).

The expected outputs of the project include strengthened educational and research capacity, improved knowledge on inclusive Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) and Community Based Adaptation (CBA) including delivering skilled knowledge co-creators, and partnerships to support needs-driven, locally-based and contextually sensitive adaptation. The outputs are anticipated to influence policy, planning and practice around LLA and CBA through collaborative learning and knowledge translation.

In line with targets and activities for 2026/2027, COLOCAL project is offering research support for three (3) Master’s students who have completed their first academic year of taught classes at Makerere University and are interested in undertaking research under one of the following thematic areas. The students MUST have undertaken the course offered under the auspices of the project on Disability, Social Justice and Climate Resilient Development.

Requirements:

  • A first degree from a reputable university in a field related to the focus of the project
  • Ugandan citizen below 35 years
  • Good command of English (spoken and written)
  • Demonstrated interest in inclusive and climate resilient development
  • Evidence of practical experience in conducting relevant research during and after undergraduate level
  • Evidence of full payment of all university fees for the first academic year
  • The Masters programme being undertaken MUST have explicit content on climate change mitigation and adaptation
  • Special consideration will be given to students with disabilities, financial challenges, students from ethnic minority groups, internally displaced students, among others

Scholarship and study/research conditions

Availability to complete all research activities in a maximum of 10 months.

Scope of the scholarship

The project will specifically cover stipends and support for field activities only. Support with tuition fees, for the research year, will be provided for students who will complete and submit the research thesis for examination within 10 months from the date of receiving the scholarship offer letter.

How to apply

Interested and eligible candidates should submit the following documents: Application letter, research concept note of not more than 2 pages, academic transcripts/certificates, an updated CV (including contacts of at least two referees) and two recommendation letters.

Send applications via email to: colocal.caes@mak.ac.ug, not later than 20th May, 2026. This contact can as well be used for inquiries, where necessary.

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Request For Consultancy Services: Training & Digital Solutions Expert

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Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Request For Consultancy Services: Training & Digital Solutions Expert. Makerere University, Kampala Uganda, East Africa

The Makerere University Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Limited implemented a Gates Foundation training program dubbed “Principle of Management Excellence for Research training” PRIMER in francophone countries, namely, Mali, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This training was delivered by content experts and experienced practitioners, not professionally trained experts. As such, limiting the quality of slide decks, which were largely fragmented with text rather than graphical and infographic elements that suit a mature audience. To effectively deliver a research training program, advanced, engaging, and efficient tools are critical for fostering audience engagement and participation, and for learning and assessment in research management excellence. To achieve this, IDI seeks to hire an expert to:

  1. design and deliver a set of integrated advanced slide decks combining text, visual learning materials (graphical and infographics) and case scenarios
  2. develop a virtual bilingual community learning platform (VBCLP), i.e. with in-built French and English to engage alumni,
  3. develop and automate a pre-course assessment system that potential trainees fill out, and it automates results that are presented in statistical form for easy interpretation and decision making.

Details: https://shorturl.at/Rzn8d

Apply to: EAkankwasa@idi.co.ug

Deadline: 5 June 2026, 5 PM EAT

Mak Editor

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