BUJUMBURA April 28th (ABP) – The Minister of East African Community Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Mr. Ezéchiel Nibigira proceeded on Wednesday April 27, 2022 in his cabinet, to the presentation of the great achievements of the third quarter for the 2021-2022 financial year, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
During his presentation, Minister Nibigira indicated that these achievements cover four key areas of intervention of the ministry, including the area of integration of Burundi within the EAC, the sector of youth, the sector of sports as well than that of culture.
In the sector of Burundi’s integration within the EAC, the ministry coordinated Burundi’s participation in 144 virtual community meetings and 71 physical regional meetings. With the aim of harmonizing national laws with those of the EAC, the Ministry organized a retreat for the amendment of certain national legislative and regulatory texts governing the sector of labour, commerce, mining and the order of notaries of Burundi, in order to comply with the provisions of the protocol establishing the common market of the EAC.
In the sector of youth, the ministry organized communal, provincial and national elections for new members of the National Youth Council (CNJB). As part of the empowerment and self-development of young people, there were first funding agreements with young people for 432 youth projects that were selected by the PAEEJ program. The training of 892 young trainers in modern broiler breeding in Gitega province and in modern pig breeding in Bururi and Ngozi provinces was carried out by the same PAEEJ program.
In the sector of sports, the Ministry coordinated and facilitated the participation of the Intamba mu Rugamba women’s national football team against the Djibouti team in the round-trip matches counting for the WALCON qualifiers, at the Urukundo stadium in Ngozi, respectively in dates of February 14 and 21, 2022. The ministry having sport in its attributions also organized a descent to explain the rules of the men’s inter-municipal football championship throughout the country, from March 6 to 10, 2022.
In terms of culture, the ministry organized a visit to the site of the royal capital of Mbuye (Muramvya) to inquire about the state of the site on March 23, 2022, and the minister promised that rehabilitation works infrastructure on this site is in progress. As part of the protection of cultural heritage in general, and archival cultural heritage in particular, the Ministry organized an information and awareness campaign for the general public and decision-makers and administrative officials in particular to encourage them to promote and the protection of documentary cultural heritage.
Through the Burundian Reading and Cultural Animation Center (CEBULAC), the ministry organized from February 25 to 28, 2022 in Kirundo, the final of the traditional inter clac song contest under the theme: “Let’s read books, save our cultural heritage source of sustainable development and true independence”, for the promotion and professionalization of artists’ musicians with traditional instruments and to invite students to love reading to enrich their knowledge.
At the end of the presentation, the Minister of East African Community Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture said that his ministry is satisfied with the level of achievements for the period from January 1 to March 31, 2022.