Experts from the East African Community are meeting in Bujumbura, Burundi to discuss plans to empower border communities through the modernization of locally shared markets.
The 18 to 20 March 2013 meeting organized in collaboration with the African Trade Policy Centre (APTC) will take place at Hotel Safari Gate and is a follow-up on the 1st Meeting of Experts in Kigali, Rwanda held June 2011 where a proposal for a project entitled “Empowering Border Communities through Modernization of Shared Markets” was considered.
The Kigali meeting recommended, among others, construction of shared markets, storage facilities, improving water and sanitation and building feeder and access roads for border communities.
Border communities all over East Africa would also benefit from electrification, health care centers, garbage collection posts and police posts once the project gets off the ground.
Next week’s meeting in Bujumbura is expected to consider and finalize the detailed draft project report; recommend locations/sites in the five Partner States where the proposed project facilities will be set up; and agree on a roadmap for mobilizing resources for implementation of the project by June 2014.
The 18-20 March experts’ meeting will then recommend to the Sectoral Council on Gender, Youth, Children, Social Protection and Community Development to adopt the project.
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