Preparations are at advanced stages for the 6^th annual East African Community (EAC) university students’ debate scheduled to take place from 3^rd-5^th December, 2018 at the University of Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania.

Themed “Border management to address migrant smuggling and corruption at borders for stability and social economic development in the East African Community: Role and implications for the youth,” the debate is set to enhance youth participation in the East African Community integration agenda and processes.

The debate is expected to bring together representation from University students, lecturers, academia, policy makers, media, youth leaders and one high school to participate in the event.

The main debate will involve 36 University Students (debaters), six from each EAC partner state, drawn from national universities, public, private and other institutions of higher learning.

The EAC University Students debate model is an interactive and representational style of debating aimed at educating, discussing and making resolutions among the youth in East Africa to nurture a bond of “East Africaness”.

The objective of the debate model is to exchange information and share ideas on regional integration issues among students and youth in the community.

The debate will also lay emphasis on the use of the value and policy approaches given that the EAC integration is people-centered, hence giving the youth an opportunity to come up with policies that will enable the secretariat develop programmes and initiatives aimed at empowering youth in the region.

The debate aims to promote continued participation of the youth on issues of the EAC integration, encourage networking among university students/youth to enhance regional integration; as well as prepare the youth for future leadership roles at regional and international levels as they hold the mantle as Ambassadors of EAC integration in the region.

The EAC youth Ambassador Concept

The University Students debate and sensitization was adopted in 2008 in the Summit of Heads of States as a strategy to deepen sensitization and awareness for greater political will as a means for realization of the EAC political federation.

The first EAC University Students debate on regional integration was organized by the secretariat in August 2012. The debate triggered a snowball effect among EAC youth participants and sparked a broad enthusiasm for their participation in EAC integration processes.

The second University Students debate held in September 2013 enhanced the “EAC phoria” among university students and gave push to new initiatives to youth management with the EAC.

However, there have been only four EAC University Students’ Debate organized – first in 2012 in Arusha, second in 2013 in Dar-es-Salaam, third in Kampala in 2014 and the fourth in Kigali. The debate was not organized in 2016 and 2017 due to resource constraints.

Since August 2012, the EAC youth Ambassadors have engaged and empowered young people to enhance their contribution to the EAC integration agenda through effective peer training and engagements.

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