Regional integration holds vast opportunities for EAC citizens – GIZ

Arusha. East African Community (EAC) integration holds vast socio-economic potential and can be significantly enhanced by raising public awareness and boosting citizen participation, a recent high-level panel has heard.

The panel discussion, convened in Arusha, brought together representatives from the EAC, the East African Civil Society Organisations Forum (EACSOF), the East Africa Law Society (EALS), and the German development agency GIZ. It formed part of Tanzania's Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Week.

Held under the theme “National and Regional Policy and Legislative Framework for CSO Engagement in the EAC Integration”, the session examined how Tanzanian civil society can more meaningfully engage with the regional integration process.

The forum was supported through GIZ’s LIFTED project, an initiative co-financed by the European Union (EU) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in partnership with the EAC Secretariat.

Participants discussed key legal and policy frameworks guiding CSO engagement in EAC matters, highlighting gaps, sharing best practices, and proposing reforms to expand participation. A core objective was to amplify Tanzanian voices in regional decision-making and strengthen people-centred integration.

Recommendations drawn from the session will inform the upcoming EAC Secretary General’s Forum and technical working group meetings.

EACSOF Chief Executive Officer, Ms Lilian Alex, warned that low levels of public awareness were impeding full citizen participation in regional integration.

“The civil society space in Tanzania continues to shrink, and there is much more to be done to increase national awareness so that citizens can benefit from the opportunities EAC integration provides,” said Ms Alex.

She urged civil society to play a more active role in shaping national policies and ensuring inclusive processes—particularly as some EAC countries have already enabled cross-border movement using national identity cards.

Mr David Sigano, CEO of the East Africa Law Society, said regional legal frameworks that could benefit ordinary citizens remain largely unknown or underutilised at national level.

He pointed to instances where CSOs had successfully taken cases to the East African Court of Justice and secured landmark rulings—proof, he said, that citizens can seek redress when the EAC Treaty is violated.

“People must understand that regional courts are not abstract institutions. They are accessible tools for justice when national systems fall short,” said Mr Sigano.

The meeting also assessed the current level of Tanzanian CSO involvement via the EAC Consultative Dialogue Framework (CDF) and called for greater collaboration between CSOs and the state.

Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the integration process by promoting inclusive participation and advocating for citizen-centred policies across all EAC partner states.

CSO Week continues to serve as a critical platform for dialogue, networking, and collaboration among Tanzanian civil society actors. The event brings together diverse organisations to showcase initiatives and engage in policy discourse on issues vital to the country’s future.

The EU’s support for regional economic integration, through the LIFTED project and related efforts, aims to ensure that civil society voices are heard and their contributions to the EAC integration agenda are recognised.