Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) joins other EAC Organs, Institutions and Apex Organizations in celebrating the 20th Anniversary Observance of EAC Regional Integration starting from 22nd-23rd November 2019 at the Commission’s Nyanza Regional Headquarters, Kisumu, Kenya.
The EAC celebrations in other EAC Organs, Institutions, Apex Organizations and EAC Partner States stretch up 30th November 2019 and are spearheaded by the Arusha-based EAC Secretariat.
The EAC Apex Organizations are the East African Business Council (EABC), East African Law Society (EALS), East African Local Governments Association (EALGA), East African Civil Society Forum (EACSOF), and Kituo Cha Katiba (KcK)-Eastern Africa Centre for Constitutional Development.
Key features marking the 20 Years EAC anniversary include, but not limited to: Public Awareness activities: Documentary showcasing the key milestones of EAC Integration and LVBC’ contributions in the process, Sports, Tree Planting, free Medical Camp and Open Day. The latter seeks to enable the EAC citizens access LVBC Offices and seek information relating to regional integration, LVBC operations, programmes and projects coordinated and implemented in 5 EAC Partner States.
According to LVBC Executive Secretary, Dr. Ally Said Matano, the lined up activities specifically opening our office spaces to the EAC citizens is in line with article 7 of the EAC Treaty (1999) EAC Development Strategy (2016/17 – 2020/21) emphasizing promoting people-centeredness in regional integration agenda. LVBC Executive Secretary also stressed that LVBC Strategic Plan (2016-2021) equally puts citizens at the center of regional integration through responsive and result-oriented programmes and projects.
The Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community was signed in Arusha on 30th November, 1999. Following the decision of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State, the date is observed annually as the EAC Day. 30th November, 2019, usually marks the culmination of the Anniversary of the EAC integration by the EAC Organs, Institutions, friends of EAC Regional Integration and EAC Partner States.
This year’s anniversary is guided by the theme: Deepening Integration: Widening Cooperation with the objectives: to showcase the achievements of the regional integration during the two decades of the EAC’s cooperation (1999-2019); to stimulate renewed commitment towards making regional integration people-centered in the next decade (2019-2029) and to popularize LVBC’s contributions in EAC regional integration agenda.
