BUJUMBURA November 3rd (ABP) – The Minister of East African Community Affairs (EAC), Youth, Sports and Culture, Ambassador Ezéchiel Nibigira, presented on Tuesday November 2, 2021, in his office, the major quarterly achievements valid for the months of July, August and September 2021.
The Minister in charge of EAC affairs said that those major achievements cover four key areas of intervention, including the area of Burundi’s integration into the EAC, those of youth, sports and Culture.
In the sector of the integration of Burundi within the EAC, there was the monitoring of the implementation of the decisions and directives of the summit, the council of ministers and all the sectoral councils of the EAC, as well as that the implementation of regional and national projects and programs, including the harmonization
institutional. According to Mr. Nibigira, there was the follow-up carried out with the Bank of the Republic of Burundi and the Ministry in charge of Finance to ensure the state of play of the implementation of 24 decisions and two community projects and programs, including Burundi’s application for membership of the East African Community Development Bank (EADB) and the establishment of the East African Monetary Institute of the East African community in Burundi. The boss of the ministry in charge of the EAC underlined that there was the development of a document on the state of play of the integration of Burundi within the East African community and a plan of strategic actions within the framework of the preparation of the Republic of Burundi for the presidency of the EAC and EALA.
In the sector of youth, the ministry has equipped 8 youth centers with IT tools in Muramvya, Makamba, Bujumbura, Ngozi, Bubanza, Muyinga, Cankuzo and Ruyigi provinces as part of the revitalization of youth centers. The ministry having Youth in its attributions has, moreover, carried out capacity building in favor of 50 associations of schooled and out-of-school young people grouped in associations of self-development in entrepreneurship. Through the youth bank (BIJE), there was awareness raising and training of 110 members of cooperatives working in Bukinanyana, Mugina and Rugombo communes of Cibitoke province and 20 cooperatives on financial education and credit management. In the same context of youth, there was the organization and holding of advanced computer training for 100 young graduates looking for jobs, in collaboration with the MAARIF foundation of Turkey in Burundi.
Regarding the sector of culture, Minister Nibigira mentioned the organization of the national festival of culture on October 1 and 2, 2021. About 540 festival-goers from all over the country took part and exchanged their experiences. They also reflected on ways and means to safeguard and promote Burundian culture. As part of the Burundian Center for Reading and Cultural Animation (CEBULAC), the ministry organized 346 cultural animation sessions for 26,132 participants. There was the declaration and recording of 53 musical works, one literary work and the distribution of 17,000 books to 11 establishments in Giheta and its surroundings.
Regarding the sector of sports, the Minister underlined the coordination of activities relating to the triumphant welcome of the star champion Francine Niyonsaba on September 22, 2021, in Bujumbura, the coordination of the various national and international competitions, including 10 outings abroad and 5 national competitions in different disciplines, including swimming, boxing and athletics.
After the presentation of the major achievements, the Minister of EAC Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture said that his ministry is satisfied with the level of achievements for the period from July 1 to September 30, 2021.