siku ya wana afrika mashariki ilivyofana leeds

BAADHI YA WADAU KWENYE HAFLA HIYO YA SIKU YA AFRIKA MASHARIKI
NI WAKATI WA MLO..

WADAU WA AFRIKA MASHARIKI WAKIJICHANGANYA

VICHEKO NA FURAHA KWA KUKUTANA WANA AFRIKA MASHARIKI AMBAO NI DAM-DAM

WADAU KATIKA MNUSO HUO

AFISA KUTOKA UBALOZI WETU LONDON, MH. AMOS MSANJILA, AKISOMA HOTUBA KWA NIABA YA BALOZI KWENYE HAFLA HIYO YA SIKU YA WANA AFRIKA MASHARIKI ILIYOFANYIKA LEEDS

MGENI RASMI KUTOKA UBALOZI WA TZ JIJINI LONDON Mh. AMOS MSANJILA (SHOTO) AKIWA NA KIONGOZI WA JUMUIYA YA WANA AFRIKA MASHARIKI LEEDS RICHARD MBASSU - MWENYE KOTI JEUPE (KUTOKA KENYA) NA VIONGOZI WA TAASISI ISIYO YA KISERIKALI YA UK IITWAYO CODESA AMBAYO ILIFADHILI SHUGHULI HIYO . VIONGOZI HAO NI JOHN ATIBILA (GHANA) MWENYE VAZI LA ASILI NA GRATION KAMUGISHA (TANZANIA) MWENYE TAI

UKUMBI ULIFURIKA

STATEMENT FROM THE TANZANIA HIGH COMMISSION
IN LONDON

Read by Amos Msanjila, First Secretary (Political Matters) on behalf of the High Commissioner, Her Excellency Mrs. Mwanaidi Sinare- Maajar at the East African Community event, at the University of Leeds, Leeds, UK on 12th June, 2010

Ndugu Richard Mbasu, EAS President,
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon,

It is a great pleasure and honour for the Tanzania High Commission to be involved in such an important occasion to cement the unity of East Africans away from home. It is nice, as well to see you all joined with friends, brothers and sisters from other African countries and outside the continent. This is indeed a good sign of cultural integration and globalization.

Cultural co-operation and sometimes even toleration is very important in the modern world that is becoming more or less a single village. Events like this help to bring people together and share their important aspects of cultural backgrounds. This is a very significant occasion to celebrate our culture as East Africans.

Ndugu President,
We know that, this event also serves to showcase young talents among our people. It is important to recognise that any talent if not nurtured or given an opportunity to grow may not realise its potential in life.

This event is taking place here in Leeds almost ten years since the treaty for the establishment of the East African Community entered into force on 7th July 2000. This occasion serves to stimulate our feelings that we are one people. We, in Tanzania strongly believe that we are one people not simply because of the re-birth of the East African Community on papers but rather our common values, culture and vision. Despite our well-rooted ancestral relationship we need to come together as we have done today to warm up and promote our dignity as one society.

Ndugu President,
Our region has a combined GDP of $73 billion and population of 126.6 million people. Our governments have signed various treaties/protocols for the purpose of integrating the region into a single investment destiny. Various plans are at different stages of implementations to improve the infrastructure and connectivity amongst the five member states. These efforts are aimed at accelerating development in our region. Any development needs and depends on human capital. We believe for the period that you have been in a developed country like UK (whether studying or working) you have acquired some skills that you can apply back home.

Ndugu President,
Kindly allow me to take this opportunity to encourage you use your skills in any area in helping our home countries. It is your innovation motivated by development desires in your heart that will open doors to exploit various potentials in the EAC. When you do this, please consider the EAC as one entity, not five individual countries. The market has been made big now.

Being here is an opportunity for you people to build your network. You need to network as East Africans and also you need to network with other potential business partners from within and outside Africa. It is clear that the current technology allows any entrepreneur to do business regardless of their physical location. You may therefore think of what you can do today or tomorrow that is linked with East Africa.

Ndugu President,
Finally, let me once again congratulate you for organising this event. Big ideas always emerge from social and informal gatherings like this one. It is for this reason that I commend this as the beginning of our being identified as East Africans. Let us all enjoy this afternoon that has been put together by the Leeds East African Society, a relatively new society that has been affiliated into the Leeds University as a further means of bringing fellow East Africans together