East African Community Secretariat, Arusha, Tanzania, 24 June 2014;The Federal Republic of Germany today signed an intergovernmental agreement with the East African Community (EAC) in order to support higher education and training for future journalists and media professionals.
Germany makes available a financial contribution of 14 million Euros in support of the Graduate School of Media and Communications (GSMC) of the Aga Khan University, a recently established Centre of Excellence for media education in East Africa.
Germany makes available a financial contribution of 14 million Euros in support of the Graduate School of Media and Communications (GSMC) of the Aga Khan University, a recently established Centre of Excellence for media education in East Africa.
The education and training programmes of the GSMC will have a strong regional focus and will foster a diverse array of media leaders, enterprises and institutions that will be distinguished by high standards of competence, ethics, professionalism and social responsibility.
The GSMC will closely cooperate with the Deutsche Welle Akademie (DWA), which is the media development division of Germany's well known international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW).
Furthermore, the Federal Republic of Germany announced a new commitment to the East African Community in the water and sanitation sector. The EAC and Germany believe that coordinated transboundary investment approaches are needed to cope with the growing demand for safe water, to fight increasing pollution of water systems and to deal with climate-related challenges.
Furthermore, the Federal Republic of Germany announced a new commitment to the East African Community in the water and sanitation sector. The EAC and Germany believe that coordinated transboundary investment approaches are needed to cope with the growing demand for safe water, to fight increasing pollution of water systems and to deal with climate-related challenges.
In this regard, Germany committed a first tranche of 10 million Euros to the 'Trans boundary Water Supply and Sanitation Programme' in order to contribute to improved water and sanitation infrastructure in selected EAC border towns. The programme will be implemented with the Lake Victoria Basin Organisation (LVBC) of the EAC as Project Executing Agency.
Dr. Richard Sezibera, Secretary-General of the EAC and Member of the GAVI Board said "I am happy with the way things are moving in regard to EAC-Germany relations. The Agreement we have signed shows that Germany is indeed our valuable partner".
Dr. Richard Sezibera, Secretary-General of the EAC and Member of the GAVI Board said "I am happy with the way things are moving in regard to EAC-Germany relations. The Agreement we have signed shows that Germany is indeed our valuable partner".
Hans Koeppel, Chargé d´Affaires at the German Embassy in Tanzania, said: "The new commitments underline that Germany continues to be a strong partner for the EAC, contributing to an integration process that puts the people in the centre".
Since as early as 1998, Germany's development cooperation, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), contributes to the capacity development of the Secretariat of the EAC and the regional integration in East Africa through a variety of programmes and projects. Germany's funding for Technical and Financial Cooperation with the EAC amounts to a total of 125.9 million Euros. Germany also provides substantial support for the water and governance sectors in selected EAC member states.
