General
Arbitrary borders are only artificial-EAC Secretariat
“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.
As 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.
“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
General
Makerere University and Xiangtan University Advance Strategic Partnership in Chemical Engineering
Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively.
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.
Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”
The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.”
Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.
Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students.
She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.”
Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”
Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.”
Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.
Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.
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