SOUTHERN PROVINCE HUYE — A major internaional conferences on regional integration have opened at the National University of Rwanda, with professors debating the future of Rwanda, East Africa, and Africa in general.

"Challenges of Free Movement of Goods, People and Services in the United Africa” has started at the National University’s Faculty of Medicine.

The conference seeks to bring together ideas from academics with strong influences on policy formulation in Africa.

Speaking during the official opening of the conference, Rector of the National University of Rwanda Silas Lwakabamba called upon all to be at the forefront in this era where African countries were coming together to form a single political and economic unit.

"The earlier experiences of the East African Community in the 1970s shows that economic and political integration, if well planned, can greatly benefit citizens of member countries,” Lwakabamba said.

 "The revival of this community, this time including Rwanda and Burundi, and plans to forge a United States of Africa should be given serious consideration by all stakeholders.”

Lwakabamba said that by joining the East African University Council, scholars from universities in Rwanda had an opportunity to debate a wide range of issues affecting the region and Africa as a whole.

The President of APARU Gerald Rwagasana said that academics ought to play an active role in issues affecting their countries and make tangible contributions in the formulation of policies that have a great bearing on the lives of the citizens.

Participants drawn from institutions of higher learning and private organisations are expected to debate on the issue one currency and the African passport among others. Ends