By Collins Kimaro

On February 6th 2025, the European Union (EU) and the East African Community (EAC) launched 3 new projects adding to the strong existing co-operation. These projects which vary in duration are financed by the EU with an estimated budget of 8 million Euros (approximately 21.4 billion Tanzanian shillings).

Participating in the launch event as an EU Youth Sounding Board Member, I could not help but wonder if and to what extent fellow youth across the EAC know about and are actively benefiting from the ongoing EAC integration efforts.

At the Headquarters of the EAC in Arusha, the EU and EAC presented the three projects seeking to strengthen the EAC Competition Authority, to accelerate cross-border trade in services and civil society engagement as well as to build capacity of the EAC Secretariat.

Collins Kimaro, 2025

In particular, the Leveraging Integrated Frameworks for Trade in Services and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the EAC (LIFTED) program has objectives to capacitate youth and women to export more across the region as well as to contribute to updating Youth Policies and decision making.

Over 60% of the population across the current 8 member states of the EAC are considered youth being aged below 35 (EAC, 2020) therefore of key importance for the EAC integration. Being informed of programs such as LIFTED or enabling agreements like the Common Market Protocol is a fundamental step towards benefiting from integration.

As youth of the region there is a need to make a conscious effort to be updated with the latest news and opportunities concerning integration developments.

This can be done in many ways including engaging with social media pages of the EAC and its institutions/partners, participating in consultative meetings, joining networks such as the East Africa Youth Network (EAYN), applying for opportunities provided like the EAC Youth Ambassadors Platform etc.

2025 ushers in the 26th year since the re-birth of the East African Community since it was revived in 2000. May this be the year that youth become more informed in order to be able to gain more from the EAC. Aligning with the vision of the EAC, let's integrate for a prosperous, stable and united East Africa. 

Collins Kimaro is the European Union Youth Sounding Board Member to Tanzania. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.