Citizen participation in EAC integration receives boost with TANGO/TMEA grant

TMEA Tanzania Country Director, Paulina Elago shaking hands with TANGO Executive Director Mr. Ngunga Tepani during signing of Tshs 153 Million grant agreement.

TradeMark East Africa (TMEA) has today signed a 153 million Tanzanian Shillings grant agreement with the Tanzania Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (TANGO) to scale up the participation of citizens in EAC integration processes. The project seeks to empower civil society actors in Tanzania with knowledge/evidence and skills to be able to engage and gain the benefits of regional integration. 

TANGO is the focal point for the Tanzanian civil society organizations in the EAC processes. This support will strengthen the organisation’s capacity by empowering organized civil society in Tanzania in their work of advocating for policy changes.

Mr. Ngunga Tepani, TANGO’s Executive Director, said, “This project grant support by TMEA comes at a time when civil society organizations urgently need to play a key role in contributing to policy dialogue, providing information, monitoring policy making and programming for the EAC regional integration process. 

TANGO will use the grant to undertake a baseline study, train business-interest groups and other mainstream civil society organisations (CSOs) in policy analysis and trade competition to contribute to the attainment of a higher goal -- that is a harmonious, just and equitable EAC society that is people-driven.”

The EAC integration process is approaching the third stage of implementation with the protocol on EAC Monetary Union having been signed by the Heads of States in Kampala, Uganda in December 2013. It is critical for private sector and civil society organisations to facilitate more citizen participation in key issues affecting regional integration. These include how Tanzanians can leverage the potential benefits and opportunities available through the Customs Union and Common Market Protocols.

Additionally, Ms. Paulina Elago, Country Director of TMEA’s Tanzania Programme, noted the importance of the grant to CSOs in Tanzania and that TANGO was an experienced, reliable and best placed to execute the project for the benefit of the civil society and citizens in general. Civil society has a critical role to in ensuring that the wider population understand the importance of EAC integration, the benefits and opportunities available. Ms. Elago further noted that, TMEA Tanzania’s programme is designed to promote and increase wider participation of citizens in the EAC integration process.

TMEA is pleased to partner with organizations such as TANGO, who have the experience, networks and reach needed to raise awareness and educate the citizenry on such opportunities and benefits in addition to how best they can influence the policies and rules on EAC integration. 

She also added that that TMEA has previously supported TANGO with equipment and technical assistance to operationalize its online discussion portal. The portal focuses on EAC integration topics and has become an important tool to raise awareness, promote dialogue and also advocate for policy change.