PS URGES STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN EAC INTEGRATION

Mr. Nalo opens business exposition and hosted on MUFM
By Denis Nyanja and Ronnel Onchagwa

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of East African Community, Mr David Nalo, yesterday morning launched the annual business exposition organised by the Business Management Students Association (BMSA). The event, whose theme is ‘Shifting from local to global markets’, will run for the whole week at the students centre.
Speaking during the launch, the permanent secretary said that globalisation had necessitated cooperation between countries, mainly due to the need to gain recognition of their markets. He thus advised the attendants of the session to think globally and regionally instead of restricting themselves to the counties.
Mr. Nalo also informed the students that there exist three milestones to the realisation of the dream of the common market; common market protocol, customs union and the new constitution. He therefore encouraged those who would be participating in the exposition this week to tackle the milestones.
The PS briefed the students on the progress that the East African Integration Process is making. First, he sought to highlight the reasons why he believes that the current movement will not fall like the previous one did in 1977. He mentioned that 1999 Revamption treaty provided for theoretical cooperation and the governance structure that anticipates all setbacks and addresses them before they get out of hand.
He said that the increase in intra-trade, combined GDP and revenue was evidence enough to silence pessimists in the process. He however mentioned that Non Tariff barriers, common external markets and the Rules of Origin were currently the major challenges that faced the community.
Mr. Nalo mentioned that the youth were the ones to inherit current efforts towards integration. This generation make up 75% of the current regional population of 130 million people. Job creation was however increasing at a slower pace than increase in labour and this was resulting in the increase of unemployment rate. He thus called upon the youth to be innovative and come take advantage of the business opportunities that came with the common market launched mid this year.
The Permanent Secretary recognised that given the high competitiveness in the country, the youth in Kenya are bound to occupy the technical labour needs in the region. Finally, he admitted that there lies great distance between the top policy makers and the ordinary person. Students have thus a vital role to play in bridging the gap. His ministry is working on methods of incorporating the views of the youth, especially students, in the East African dream.
Later, at midday, the PS paid a courtesy call to the school of information sciences where he held a 15minute discussion with the dean. He then proceeded to MUFM studios and addressed the issues he had touched on during the business exposition, on air. He was accompanied to the radio station by Prof Bob Wishitemi, Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Research and Extension, Prof D. C. Rotich, dean school of Information Sciences and Dr. Mary Kipsat, the dean school of Business and Economics.