Rwanda’s envoy to Tanzania, Ben Rugangazi has made an impassionate appeal to the regional media to play an active role in fast-tracking the regional integration processes.
The envoy was responding questions on ICT development, East African integration processes, and private sector’s contribution to Rwanda’s economic progress.
While praising the media as a key tool in fostering the agenda of development in the region, Rugangazi was also concerned that it has been very slow in sending out important messages on regional integration processes.
“Regional leaders have made initiatives — setting up systems and making decisions, in the course of pushing for regional integration, but these important messages have not reached many East Africans. We need the media to assist and actively support governments in the integration processes,” the envoy said.
Describing education as one of the important components in regional integration, Rugangazi said it allows interactions among East Africans, enabling them to understand each other and create solid bounds.
Citing specific examples, he said there are about 100 students from Rwanda pursuing different courses at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), adding that students from East African partner states should be encouraged to study in “Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania.
It’s through this way; our students/people would mix and understand each other.”
“EAC governments and higher learning institutions need to encourage this spirit if we really want to speed up the regional integration,” the Rwanda envoy concluded.
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