Regional integration under the East African Community (EAC) offers significant socio-economic opportunities and can be strengthened through increased public awareness and citizen engagement. This is the clear message of a panel discussion that was held on 5 June 2025 between representatives of EAC, the East African Civil Society Organizations Forum (EACSOF), the East Africa Law Society (EALS), and the development agency GIZ.
The session held under the theme of National and Regional Policy and Legislative Framework for the CSO Engagement in the EAC Integration was attended by representatives from various Tanzanian civil society organizations and the public sector, and took place as part of the Tanzanian CSO week, from 2 to 6 June in Arusha, Tanzania.
The Regional Policies and Legislative Frameworks for Engagement in the EAC Integration is strengthened by various initiatives implemented under GIZ - LIFTED, a project co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in partnership with EAC.
The session deliberated on critical issues regarding CSO engagement in the EAC integration process with the aim of fostering meaningful dialogue, exchanging best practices, and identifying opportunities to enhance the participation of Tanzanian CSOs in regional integration. The meeting examined the status of Tanzanian CSO engagement through the EAC Consultative Dialogue Framework (CDF), highlighted existing challenges and opportunities, and outlined effective strategies for deeper integration.
Specifically, the discussions narrowed on the regional policy and legislative developments for Tanzania CSO engagement and mapped out specific areas for support by Tanzanian CSOs. During the session, participants identified practical recommendations to be communicated to the EAC Secretariat, EACSOF, and national policymakers. The outcomes and recommendations from this dialogue will feed into the EAC Secretary General Forum and technical working group meetings, thereby enhancing Tanzanian CSOs' engagement in the regional integration process.
 
Speaking during the session, the CEO of EACSOF, Ms. Lilian Alex observed that the level of awareness for citizen engagement in the Regional Economic Integration agenda was still very low. She emphasised the need to expand the civil space in Tanzania and reminded CSOs of their role in the people-centred EAC integration process given the vast opportunities that comes with it. The CEO highlighted some of the benefits including cross border travel using national identity cards in some EAC Partner States.
“The Civil Society voices continue to shrink in Tanzania, and there is more work to be done on national awareness for Tanzania to benefits from these opportunities, and a more inclusive EAC integration process. One of the areas that we need to enhance, especially with the CSOs support, is the involvement of all stakeholders in policy formulation,” she said.
On his part, Mr. David Sigano, the CEO of East Africa Law Society noted that there were laws and regional frameworks that could benefit citizens at a national level, but which unfortunately were not known by the wider population. He presented examples of events where CSOs had presented cases at the regional court which received landmark rulings.  “Citizens should be able to seek legal redress at the regional court of justice whenever they feel there is an infringement of the treaty” added Mr. Sigano.
The debate underscored the importance of a people-centred integration process with stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to working together to enhance the participation and meaningful engagement of CSOs in EAC decision-making processes.
The CSO Week serves as a dynamic platform for exhibitions, discussions, networking, and outreach events. It provides a space for CSOs to converge, exchange ideas, and collectively address pressing issues vital to Tanzania's future. The EU’s support for civil society engagement in regional economic integration via the LIFTED project and other initiatives aims to foster a more inclusive and participatory EAC integration process by ensuring that the voices of civil society are heard and their contributions recognised.