East African Community University students will play a vital role in the implementation of the recently signed EAC Common Market protocol through sensitizing the bloc’s population on the protocol.

This was said by the Minister in charge of EAC, Monique Mukaruliza at the opening the of the three-day EAC Students’ Union (EACSU) general assembly at the School of Finance and Banking.

Speaking to the students, Minister Mukaruliza said EAC cannot grow without the full participation of the youth to help in the implementation of policies like the common market protocol and other protocols to come.

"The concerted efforts of young people from EAC member countries gathered here will play an important role in the full integration of the community,” Mukaruliza said.

"Nothing can be achieved without your input.”
 
The protocol, once ratified, will sanction free movement of goods, labour, services and capital within the EAC member states which boasts of a population of over 120 million people.

Speaking at the conference, the Executive Director of Higher Education Council, Prof. Geoffrey Rugege said that university students were being trained to create a pool of knowledge that will help solve problems faced by the community.

"You are being trained to carry out research and create new knowledge, your research will be used by policymakers to formulate policies that will lead to the development of the bloc,” said Rugege.

In an interview with The New Times, Minister Mukaruliza said that plans to harmonise the EAC education sectors were underway and would begin with regularising academic papers.

"We want to harmonize the academic qualification in EAC so that anyone from any member country would be able to have their papers recognized by every partner state,” she said.

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