The East African Community (EAC) in collaboration with the East African Business Council (EABC) will hold an East African regional media meeting in Dar es Salaam. The meeting with the theme “The role of the media in addressing the causes of conflict, instability and their prevention” is scheduled for 11-12 April, 2008. It is intended to raise media awareness and also increase press coverage of the East African regional integration and development process. The summit comes at a critical juncture when the EAC is working on the consolidation of the Customs Union and advanced negotiations towards the establishment of a Common Market. The EAC is also still faced by the challenges caused by Kenyan election disputes. According to a statement released by EAC’s secretariat, the summit will bring together chief executive officers of media houses, media executives, publishers, and editors in East Africa to discuss the role of the media in the regional integration process. The meeting will also provide an opportunity for the development of the media’s role in the EAC integration and development process. It is expected that on day one, keynote addresses will be made by leading media experts and regional peace and security experts in conflict prevention, followed by discussions by leading media practitioners, researchers and scholars of the region. The summit will also see the launch of EAC Media Award Competition to promote media coverage of the East African integration and development process. Ends
