On 31 August and 1 September 2022, representatives of East African Regulatory Authorities and the pharmaceutical sector as well as members of the Team Europe Initiative MAV+ met in Kigali, Rwanda, to exchange experiences and discuss potential areas of collaboration in the East African Community region (EAC) and beyond. The aim was to strengthen pharmaceutical regulation as a prerequisite for an economically sustainable local vaccine production in the region.

The two-day workshop was organised by Germany within the context of the Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (TEI MAV+) in Africa and in close collaboration with the European Commission, the EAC and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). It brought together key players from African and European regulatory authorities, WHO, Africa CDC, the public and the private sector as well as different donor agencies. The workshop, attended by more than 80 persons in Kigali and online, addressed the needs for enhancing pharmaceutical regulation and its harmonisation for the newly emerging local vaccine manufacturing in the East African Region.

In his opening statement, Dr. Emile Bienvenu, Director General of the Rwanda Food and Drug Authority, emphasised the opportunities for cooperation: “Starting production of pharmaceutical products requires having sound regulatory systems in place to ensure products of high quality. […] It becomes clear that most countries face similar challenges in establishing the required level of regulation. However, we can turn this into a chance as it opens room for a collaborative approach rather than working in isolation.”

Dr. Margareth Ndomondo-Sigonda, Head of the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative at AUDA NEPAD, also highlighted the importance of harmonised standards and guidelines to work towards mutual reliance on regulatory decision at national level. She emphasised that it was the “commitment to cooperate between different agencies that was key to move forward towards a harmonised approach.”

Jürgen Kretz, the representative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, emphasized that Germany supports the strengthening of framework conditions for vaccine production on the African continent since 2021. So far, the German government has committed more than 530 million euro in this context. The German engagement is embedded in the Team Europe Initiative. Germany has also made the important issue of local and regional vaccine production a priority of this year's G7 presidency.

WHO introduced the international regulatory requirements for development and production of vaccines, followed by National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) and the private sector presenting their needs from an implementer's perspective, while TEI MAV+ members: the EU delegation in Rwanda, Germany, France and Belgium, shared concrete examples of their current support and opportunities for the future. Building on existing platforms and initiatives such as the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH) initiative and the Coalition of Interested Partners under WHO will be key to advancing fast and respect African ownership of the process.

While regulation of vaccines is a new field in the region, regulatory expertise is readily available, particularly in the form of collaborative processes. According to Regina Lehnert, Clinical Assessor and Project Lead from the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, “mapping and matching” strengths and challenges of different partners, using the expertise in a peer-to-peer learning approach between NRAs, but also from Africa and Europe in a twinning approach, will be the most efficient and effective approach towards enhancing institutional and individual capacity for the different regulatory functions. “It creates the opportunity for mutual learning”

Representatives of NRAs from Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Ghana, as guest from ECOWAS, exchanged experiences on their way to reaching regulatory maturity levels compliant with international standards. Sound regulatory capacity for vaccine development, production and release is a prerequisite to ensure effectiveness and safety of vaccines as well as competitiveness around the world.

Germany is a member of the Team Europe initiative MAV+ which aims at improving the supply and demand of health products,and induce the right ecosystem. One of its pillars is regulatory strengthening. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) supports the implementation of the initiative. Technical cooperation is provided to improve the framework conditions for local vaccine production in Africa, incl. the strengthening of pharmaceutical regulation. In Rwanda, the ecosystem of the pharmaceutical and biotechnological sector is promoted with the long-term objective of creating jobs in the country.

Currently, several new vaccine production facilities are being planned in the EAC region, such as in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. Moreover, Rwanda will host the African Medicines Agency (AMA) intended to facilitate the harmonisation of health product regulation throughout the African Union.


**
The Team Europe initiative (TEI) MAV+**

The Team Europe initiative (TEI) on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+), adopted by the EU in October 2021, aims at boosting local manufacturing capacities in Africa. The overall objective of MAV+ is to increase equitable access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential vaccines, medicines and health technologies for all Africans. This objective promotes ultimately universal health coverage (UHC). The TEI provides comprehensive support at continental, regional and national level to promote the supply and demand side as well as the enabling environment for local production of health products and technologies in Africa.

For more information, contact Christina Heese (christina.heese@giz.de).

African Experts & Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing & Access to Vaccines, Medicines & Health Technologies meet in Rwanda

On 18 August 2022, 42 Young Professionals of the first and second cohort of the Embedded and Mobile System (EMoS) Master’s Programme, graduated from the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST). The Master’s Programme has been established at the Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa (CENIT@EA) through Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) project.

The graduation ceremony was graced by representatives from the Tanzanian government, academia, as well as representatives from GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), University of Oldenburg and IUCEA (Inter-University Council for East Africa) who are the implementing partners for dSkills@EA. Four years after its inception, the EMoS Programme has gained traction and is widely recognized within the East African Community region as a top-notch programme for digital skills.

During their studies, the students from six EAC Partner States developed innovations to address some of societies’ and industry's most pressing problems such as digital healthcare provision, human-wildlife conflict management, and online-based infant incubators at a low-cost.

Graduates included six Burundians, four Kenyans, eight Rwandans, two South Sudanese, six Ugandans and sixteen Tanzanians. Of those, 31% were female graduates.

Prof. Emmanuel Luoga, the vice chancellor of NM-AIST, spoke at the graduation ceremony and thanked the German government for its support to the CENIT@EA and students through its collaboration with the EAC and other project implementers, including IUCEA, DAAD, UOL, EASTECO, EABC, and EACO.

“I would like to acknowledge the contribution of our stakeholders, The Germany federal government to our institution and to the Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa and its contribution in producing excellent graduates.”

Currently, CENIT@EA is welcoming applications for the fifth cohort of students for the coming academic year to further accelerate digital transformation of industries and society through academia and industry collaboration in East Africa.

<u>
**About dSkills@EA **</u>

Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) Project is part of the technical development cooperation between the German Government under the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the East African Community (EAC) and the EAC Secretariat. The project has established the Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa (CENIT@EA) and is implemented by the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), together with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the East African-German academic consortium led by the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) and the University of Oldenburg (UOL) together with its partners the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), the University of Technology and Arts Byumba (UTAB), the University of Applied Sciences Mannheim and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Further key partners include the East African Business Council (EABC), the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) and the East African Telecommunications Organization (EACO).

42 Master’s  Young Professionals graduate from the Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa – digital programme gaining increased recognition

On 12 August, the East African Community in collaboration with East African Youth Network (EAYN), and with support from German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and Plan International (Plan MEESA), commemorated the International Youth Day 2022 at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The 2022 International Youth Day held under the theme _“Intergenerational Solidarity: Strengthening Youth Engagement in the EAC Integration Process_” brought together EAYN members, representatives of the Arusha City Council, Apex Bodies of the Regional Dialogue Committee and Youth Associations in the region among others. 

Addressing the youth, the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of the Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo highlighted that within the EAC, the youth form a critical part of the population as they constitute over 68% of the total population or approximately 140 million people. “It is therefore important for young people to be involved and to participate in the issues that will form an integral part of the future of this region,” noted Hon. Bazivamo. He pointed out that youth participation in EAC integration is provided for under Article 120 (c) of the EAC Treaty which envisages the adoption of a common approach for the participation of youth in the integration process through education, training and mainstreaming across EAC policies, programmes and projects as one of the strategic interventions towards the realization of a fully integrated Community. “I am glad to report that that we now have the East African Youth Network, an umbrella body for Youth led and youth focused organisations, which has seven active chapters in all the Partner States,” said the DSG. He challenged the youth to explore the opportunities beyond borders and develop businesses that will tap the growing regional markets especially in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.  

Speaking on behalf of Mrs. Godje Bialluch, the Coordinator of the GIZ Support to the EAC Integration Process, Mrs. Joyce Kevin Abalo Kimaro, not that without embracing the youth, inclusive regional integration, economic empowerment, productivity and bridging the digital divide in the region could not be achieved. "As GIZ, we focus our support on responding to youth unemployment especially through digital skills training, upskilling and capacity building around entrepreneurship and innovation transfer for young people in East Africa," noted Ms. Kimaro. She urged the EAC Partner States to develop stronger link of the education sector with the private sector to promote youth employability. 

On his part, Mr. Jarc Tusiime, the Regional Coordinator of EAYN, said that Community’s population was among the youngest in the world with over 60% below the age of 35 years. He defined youth as the greatest resource in the region and urged Partner States to step up and utilize the immense opportunities that are readily available in the region in the fields of tourism, energy, agriculture and ICT, amongst other sectors. Mr. Tusiime urged youth in the EAC to boldly step forward and take charge of their future by investing in strategic, constructive and participatory leadership, adding that this would enable them to be the drivers of integration in the region.

EAC joins the world in celebrating International Youth Day 2022

The EAC and the different EAC-GIZ projects have been mainstreaming youth interventions to enhance innovation, skills, and engagement of youth in the region for many years.

The EAC Youth Policy and the related Action Plan provide an overarching framework to guide all projects focusing on the youth in the region. The EAC Secretariat and its Organs and Institutions have undertaken a series of interventions to ensure the meaningful involvement of the youth such as the establishment of the East African Youth Network (EAYN) as a platform for continuous dialogue with young people and the annual Secretary General’s Forum as a platform for the engagement of all citizens in the EAC integration process. The EAC supports the EAYN as an umbrella body for youth civil society organisations in the region through capacity building for the member organisation to promote the youth agenda, reviewing the EAC youth policy and establishing the East African Youth Council, which was already approved by the Council of Ministers.

At the level of joint projects between EAC and GIZ, various measures are being implemented to benefit youth in the region.

The programme **Support to East African Integration (SEAMPEC II)** focuses on youth engagement in regional and economic integration with a view to building ownership and harnessing the contribution of youth in the implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol. Youth unemployment challenges, the free movement of students, and cross-border education as well as the free trade in goods and services are addressed by the programme. Initiatives such as the “Incubator for Integration and Development in East Africa” and the “Intra-Regional Trade Facility” supported small-scale youth-led business projects, increased the income of participating youth and women and enhanced access to gainful employment. The programme also facilitates youth participation in the regional integration process, enabling the youth to submit policy recommendations to the relevant decision-making institutions. SEAMPEC II will continue its support to youth participation in the regional value chain, AFCFTA and Trade as a cross cutting theme.

The **Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA)** project, improves and strengthens youth employment and innovation-related digital skills of young people in East African. The project has benefited youth through digital skills training, upskilling and capacity building The Center of Excellence (CENIT@EA), established at the Nelson Mandela Institution for Science and Technology (NM-AIST), has created a regional hub and space has for young ICT professionals to advance their skills through a practice-oriented Master’s Programme in Embedded and Mobile Systems (EMoS), with scholarships awarded to about 113 students from all six EAC Partner States. Over 150 young graduates were trained on Android Mobile applications development through the project’s digital skills accelerator programme. Over 1,000 young innovators received entrepreneurial training and capacity building through the project. Academia-industry collaboration initiatives, such as the Young Professionals Internship Programme and the Skills Match online platform for jobs, create new opportunities for students and graduates to connect to the job market.

The **GIZ African Union African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Programme** in collaboration with its partner project African Governance Architecture supported the You Lead Summit, an annual youth platform, in the AfCFTA Youth Inclusion Accelerator Project, a continental project at regional level, with the goal of creating awareness among young African entrepreneurs and mobilising key stakeholders to engage in the promotion and implementation of the AfCFTA.

The **African Union Border Programme (GIZ-AUBP)** has involved the EAC Youth Ambassadors in the formulation of the Transboundary Security Policy, including a plan for Youth Peace and Security on cross-border security as well the consultations on cross-border trafficking with a focus on child protection systems in Tanzania. The EAC Youth Ambassadors also participated in the AUBP's sensitisation activities on cross-border crime issues in addition to the rolling out of the COVID-19 support to border authorities. The AUBP project continues to train border authorities on child protection measures and to amplify the voices of youth on cross-border governance.

Sustainable regional integration depends on participation of the youth. At the same time, young people can benefit immensely from regional integration through enhanced socio-economic development, and the free movement of people, and workers, cross-border trade and increased education opportunities.

Celebrating International Youth Day – an insight into how EAC and GIZ support East African youth

Youths are at the heart of EAC integration and constitute around 80% of the population. This is why, during three years of implementing the Support to East-African Market-Driven and People-Centred Integration (SEAMPEC) project, various measures were implemented to enhance skills of youth in the region.

Specifically, EAC-GIZ supported youths’ engagement in regional trade and cross-border movement of goods and services. Activities centred around responding to youth unemployment challenges via enterprise incubation for innovation and training as well support in creating a thriving business environment with the aim of finding lasting solutions to make East Africa’s youth more competitive and access gainful employment.

SEAMPEC mainly supported youth skills development through the IIDEA, and Intra-Regional Trade Facility initiatives focused on the crucial role and participation of young people in the regional integration process – all based on the fact that without skilled youth, the fundamental principle of a people-centred and market-driven integration cannot be realized.

In particular, specific skills-related projects included amongst others: The digital market for youth cross-border trade dubbed [Soko Mkonononi](https://sokomkononi.or.tz/); the [EAC Youth Employment Platform](https://web.facebook.com/YouthEmploymentapp/) by NACOFU, developed for young people to access employment opportunities; an EAC Youth Internship App called Prokaziea; the [EAC Youth Tourism Platform](https://web.facebook.com/YouthEmploymentapp/) for skilling youth tourist operators in the region; the [Tourist Guides Mentorship and Apprentices Programme](http://eastafricawomenbirders.com/) for EAC women birders; an [East African Performing Arts Market](https://www.eaciidea.net/2017/07/06/doadoa-2017-east-african-performing-arts-market/) for young artists; the Hakuna Kulala Music Incubator for young performing artists; as well as Performance Arts by Daneteam Africa for empowering and promoting creative youth skills and talents to catalyze developmental change.

In addition to the above, SEAMPEC also facilitated inter-generational dialogue events which brought together EAC policy makers and youth representatives. Some of which were: The EAC Academia-Public-Private Partnership Forum and Exhibition – a platform for promotion of youth employability; the Youlead Summit; Africa Youth Connekt Summit; EAC Jammafest; the Juakali Trade Fair and Exhibitions; and the East Africa Youth Debates. Already, youth recommendations from the above-mentioned exchanges have been considered by policy makers at Partner States levels and are being implemented.

Additionally, SEAMPEC facilitated [EAC Youth Ambassadors](https://eacyap.org/) sensitization of cross-border agencies in an effort to raise awareness on the EAC cross-border integration as a pre-requisite for successful youth participation in the EAC integration process.

The SEAMPEC follow-on project “Support to East African Integration” will make sure to further deepen the support rendered to youth to participate in the EAC integration process in the years to come.

Supporting Youth in Skills Development – Three Years of SEAMPEC (GIZ)

With support from the Federal Government of Germany, the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) and the East African Community Secretariat officially launched the Integrated Water Resources Management (TC-IWRM) project to be implemented by GIZ in Kisumu, Kenya on 6 July 2022.

The TC-IWRM project aims at achieving strengthened capacities of LVBC and EAC Secretariat institutions in Integrated Water Resources Management as a pathway towards sustainable development in the Lake Victoria Basin Region covering parts of 5 EAC Partner States.

According to the LVBC Executive Secretary, Dr. Bwire K. Masinde, expected results of the projects are harmonized policies, strategies and guidelines to further improve lake level management, water quality improvement and Lake Victoria Catchment management as part of the LVBC's mandate. He therefore applauded the support from the Federal German Government as “additional expression of deepening partnership and friendship between LVBC/EAC and the Federal Government of Germany.”

In his statement, Dr. Bwire underscored the linkages between the GIZ project and LVBC's vision which seeks to “ensure people living within the Basin live in a healthy and sustainably managed environment opportunities and benefits.”

The launched project will also contribute towards enhancing the resource mobilization role of LVBC and contribute to sustainability of the existing development initiatives such as High Priority Investments (HIPs) yet to be implemented in 5 EAC Partner States. HPIs are funded by Federal Government of Germany through KfW and in cooperation with the European Union.

The German Head of Delegation, Ms Claudia Imwolde-Kraemer, Deputy Head of the Division for East Africa, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, emphasized the important role the LVBC plays in the EAC-German cooperation: “The sustainable management of natural resources and combating the effects of climate change are important elements in German cooperation. We therefore decided to substantially increase our support to the work of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission in this regard and are looking forward to a continuation of our excellent cooperation under the commission’s new management.”

The IWRM project is financed at a tune of EUR 3.3 million and is an additional contribution to the LVBC’s sustainable development agenda. Project beneficiaries include EAC Secretariat, LVBC, EAC Partner States, institutions within EAC Partner States responsible for water resources management, representatives of civil society and the private sector. The project will also contribute towards promotion of sustainable economic use and environmental protection of the EAC’s water resources with specific focus on regional frameworks and promotion of effective Integrated Water Resources Management.

Project for Strengthening Integrated Water Resource Management launched at LVBC in Kisumu (GIZ)

The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) has been supported by GIZ for many years on behalf of the German Government. In 2022, marking the celebration of 25 years ZIFF, a contribution was rendered to the Ousmane Sembene Award.

This award is dedicated to short movies telling African stories. Stories which captivate, motivate, educate and enrich their viewers. Movies are an essential tool for learning about one’s own culture and the culture of others. They also create space for emotions as well as for reflection on what exists and what can be. This way, movies are also an opportunity to foster social integration in East Africa and the African continent as a whole.

Furthermore, ZIFF enables the creation of networks between African film makers as well as with international producers.

As part of the jury of the Ousmane Sembene Award, GIZ Cluster Coordinator for EAC Integration, Godje Bialluch, noted during her remarks at the occasion of the award ceremony on 26 June, “Through film we can gain consciousness, we can gain mutual understanding and we can feel togetherness. This, I believe, makes Film Festivals like ZIFF so special and important.”

The jury awarded three winners, who each received EUR 3.000. All winning movies are short movies produced by African film makers. This year, the three winning movies originated from Tanzania (Chumba 61), Senegal (Astel) and Egypt (Big Day). More information on the winning movies as well as other nominations can be found [here](https://ziffestival.org/sembene-2022/).

Zanzibar International Film Festival – Celebrating African film makers and creating opportunities for cultural exchange in East Africa and beyond (GIZ)

The East African Community and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), after signing the respective Government and Implementation Agreements, jointly launched the new project Digitalisation for East African Trade and Integration (DIGEAT) with an official ceremony at the EAC Secretariat.

The German Government committed EUR 3,000,000 through the initiative Digital Africa, which harnesses digital applications to achieve development goals.

The EAC Secretariat and its implementation partner Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) jointly developed the concept for the new project over the past year. DIGEAT aims to simplify the cross-border movement of engineers to render their services in all EAC Partner States. To achieve this objective, the project will improve the relevant regulatory framework and the necessary digital services and tools.

DIGEAT aims to advance on EAC achievements and the cooperation of the EAC Secretariat and GIZ in the Support to East African Market-Driven and People-Centred Integration (SEAMPEC) Project, which has supported the free movement of professionals and provided support to the implementation of the respective Mutual Recognition Agreements for professions such as engineers. 

DIGEAT will build on these results with a focus on utilising the benefits of digitalisation and digital applications. To this end, it will work closely with SEAMPEC’s follow-on project, which will start in August 2022 with an overall commission value of EUR 15.3million. SEAMPEC II will contribute to increased intra-regional and continental trade for the benefit of East Africans.

Speaking at the launch, EAC Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki lauded GIZ for championing digital programmes to create job opportunities for youths in the region.

“The DIGEAT Project is timely as it finds when the EAC is pushing for all Partner States to leverage on new technologies to support the migration of production and service delivery to digital platforms and enhance e-business opportunities across the region,” he said.

In his remarks, GIZ Country Director Mike Falke highlighted that increased trade in services and the seamless cross-border movement of professionals is a significant step to deepen economic integration in the EAC. 

‘In order for this to succeed, the implementation of the existing, and potentially agreement on new, Mutual Recognition Agreements needs to be advanced. With its innovative and consultative approach and utilization of digital tools DIGEAT may offer an efficient and replicable solution, that creates efficiency and ease where currently complex administrative and bureaucratic processes hinder the moving of engineers,’ said Dr. Falke.

DIGEAT’s implementation by the EAC Secretariat will be supported in collaboration with GIZ as part of the long-standing development cooperation between the EAC and Germany. It falls under the cooperation area of Socially and Environmentally Sound Supply Chains, Trade and Sustainable Infrastructure. 

EAC and GIZ launch joint project on easing the movement of engineers in the EAC region

The East African Community (EAC) and the Federal Republic of Germany have today reaffirmed their long-standing cooperation. EAC Secretary General Hon (Dr.) Peter Mathuki and the Head of the German Delegation, Ms. Claudia Imwolde-Kraemer from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development signed the summary record of the negotiations, following a one-day EAC-German Government meeting on priorities for the development cooperation in the upcoming years, held at the EAC Secretariat headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. 

As a result of the successful negotiations, the Federal Republic of Germany has committed 29 million euros for extending the existing cooperation in the areas of education and training and conserving nature and natural resources, in particular water. 

The EAC Scholarship Programme, financed through KfW, the German Development Bank, will be replenished by 4 million euros. The exchange programme is implemented through the East African Interuniversity Council (IUCEA). Scholarships are for economically disadvantaged students pursuing a Master’s degree in another EAC country. The additional funding will provide more students the opportunity to study abroad, and thus foster academic and cultural exchange, and provide meaningful education opportunities to skilled students from across the whole region. 

The project “Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry” (dSkills@EA), implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with IUCEA and the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology will be topped up by 2.5 million Euros. The funds will be utilised to strengthen the industry-academia collaboration, trainings and entrepreneurship support for students and graduates across the EAC. Increased digital skills for East African youth and stronger linkages between universities and businesses will lead to higher youth employment while also addressing the rising demand of businesses for digitally skilled workers. 

The ongoing project “Integrated Water Resource Management in the Lake Victoria Basin” with the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), financed through KfW, will be extended by by 20 million Euros. It aims at improving water quality and availability through the sustainable management of the Lake Victoria Basin by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. Moreover, it will directly contribute to the improvement of water quality of the Lake Victoria by the implementation of High Priority Investments in the Partner States in the basin, reducing the disposal of untreated wastewater into Lake Victoria and its tributary rivers. Lake Victoria is the second largest freshwater body in the world. It is considered one of the most important shared natural resources of the East African Community (EAC), which has declared the lake and surrounding basin a regional economic growth zone. 

The project “Support to the Lake Victoria Basin Commission” implemented by GIZ together with LVBC and the EAC Secretariat has been topped up by 2.5 million euros It will enable the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) to further develop regulatory frameworks on water management. East African citizens will profit from the sustainable use of water resources in water-scarce areas, sustainable economic development and the conservation of nature. 

Furthermore, the EAC and the Federal Republic of Germany agreed on the use of funds committed by Germany in 2020 to conserve nature and mitigate and adapt to the negative effects of climate change in the Lake Victoria Basin. Germany also announced the possibility to commit additional funds later this year for a project on fostering trade and sustainable infrastructure in the EAC. Details will be defined in the upcoming months. 

Speaking during the signing, EAC Secretary General Dr. Mathuki lauded the Federal Republic of Gemany for her generous support to integration in East Africa. 

“Aware of the recent global developments in economic, health, and climate change; the agreed commitments to the areas of cooperation in next funding phase, will help build resilience for our EAC economies and improve the lives of citizens of the Community,” he said.

The Head of the German Delegation, Ms. Imwolde-Kraemer, encouraged the EAC to step up its efforts to fully integrate the Democratic Republic of the Congo while continuing to deepen the regional social and economic integration of all Partner States. She assured the EAC of Germany’s continued support.

“We are convinced that especially in times of multiple crises and external shocks, close regional cooperation remains an effective way to strengthen resilience and continue to move ahead,” said Ms. Imwolde-Kraemer.  

The signing of the summary record of the government negotiations was followed by the signing of a government agreement on Technical Cooperation and the signing of implementation agreements with the Country Director of GIZ in Tanzania, Dr. Mike Falke. Two Technical Cooperation projects that have been committed since 2020 are now ready for implementation: (1) the project “Support to the Lake Victoria Basin Commission”; and (2) the new project “Digitalisation for East African Trade and Integration” (DIGEAT). The latter aims at simplifying the cross-border movement of engineers to render their services in all EAC Partner States by making use of digitalization. DIGEAT was officially launched on Tuesday in the garden of the GIZ offices at the premises of EAC headquarters in Arusha. 

The variety of joint EAC-German projects displays the broad spectrum of the longstanding cooperation between the EAC and Germany. It comprises the areas of sustainable economic development; training and employment; health and pandemic preparedness; and conserving nature and natural resources. The overall goal is to improve the living conditions of East African citizens. 

Germany commits EUR 29 Mio. to support EAC in Education & Integrated Water Resource Management (GIZ)

On 27 May 2022, the East African Community (EAC), through the “Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry” (dSkills@EA) hosted a regional stakeholders’ engagement forum that took place in Kampala, Uganda. The regional gathering brought together key innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem actors from startup support organizations, the business community, academia and governance institutions of science and technology, represented from across the EAC Partner States Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The workshop was organized by the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) through the project dSkills@EA.

The aim of the workshop was to explore opportunities for enhancing regional collaboration and forming synergies between the national ecosystems, with offers for practical solutions that contribute to EAC’s digital transformation initiatives for regional development and integration. National innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem stakeholders from across the EAC were represented, such as the East African Communications Organization (EACO) and Envisage Incubator from Rwanda; Koneta Hub and UNDP Accelerator Hub from South Sudan, Tanzania Startup Association (TSA) and Nelson Mandela Institution for Science and Technology (NM-AIST) from Tanzania; Association of Startup and SMEs Enablers of Kenya (ASSEK) and Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) from Kenya, StartHub Africa and D4D Hub from Uganda, University of Burundi and Aclis Africa from Burundi, to mention but a few.

Just recently, the Digital Innovations for Business Resilience Programme by dSkills@EA provided a platform for university young innovators to showcase ideas and link with the business community and innovation support networks for adoption and scaling. The Regional Stakeholders’ Innovation Ecosystem workshop benchmarked upon the success of the programme with an intention to build strong sustainable collaboration between the universities and innovation ecosystem actors for extension of support for implementation of digital innovations in the region.

In depth group discussions were focused on how key actors in the ecosystem can strengthen their roles and contributions in supporting young innovators scale their ideas and implement digital solutions that are demand-oriented and market-driven. An agreement was made on priority areas for regional research as well as further deliberation of collaboration in areas of synergies between the dSkills@EA project and potential stakeholders, that support dynamic interaction among the academia, industry and innovation support networks in the region.

The innovation transfer programs within dSkills@EA aims at equipping young innovators with digital skills and knowledge for acquisition and utilization tools necessary to accelerate innovations from ideation to prototyping to the region’s digital transformation initiatives in addressing regional and global socio-economic challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the future, dSkills@EA plans to continue to effectively support young innovators at universities in the region to develop digital solutions and design new digital business models for business resilience and eventually launch into market, through the involvement of various key ecosystem actors in the EAC region. Building and strengthening academia-industry partnerships is key, while bridging the gap between knowledge acquisition and knowledge transfer.

 

About dSkills@EA 

Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) Project is part of the technical development cooperation between the German Government under the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the East African Community (EAC) and the EAC Secretariat. The project has established the Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa (CENIT@EA) and is implemented by the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), together with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the East African-German academic consortium led by the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) and the University of Oldenburg (UOL) together with its partners the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), the University of Technology and Arts Byumba (UTAB), the University of Applied Sciences Mannheim and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Further key partners include the East African Business Council (EABC), the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) and the East African Telecommunications Organization (EACO).

September 25th, 2022