Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Guns & Roses: Security, Ecology and East African Integration. As part of its Trend Monitoring and Horizon Scanning function in the Greater Horn of East Africa, the Society for International Development will organize a Future Day in collaboration with Future Challenges and the Rockefeller Foundation around questions of regional integration – how this is being perceived by its citizens and how they think it will affect their lives, both in positive and negative terms. In particular, this event will try and capture ideas of how the young citizens of the region view the ‘periphery’ – those neighboring countries which are not part of the East African Community (EAC) process but whose affairs nonetheless have a significant impact on the community.
Citation preview
East Africa FutureDayNAIROBI | NOVEMBER 2012
SIDRockefeller Foundation
Guns & Roses: Security, Ecology and East African Integration
… I felt fear that the hope of East Africa remains just a hope.
… A highly volatile and dangerous youth popula-tion, lacking opportunities for work. If you display wealth, you are a target for a mugging.
… I am rich, I am well-to-do, I am part of the !%. Excellent infrastructure, but just beyond my view I could imagine the familiar slums and shantytowns.
… I feel free to work wherever I want in the EAC, to go and come as I please.
… I am fulfilled, satisfied, content, peaceful, but there are ill feelings, tension and bitterness between people.
… I am shocked at how things turned out; it’s built up.
… Our region and people are united by common borders and identity without the stiff hierarchy of ethnicity and wealth, but the youth still lack inspiration.
… People are ready to integrate, putting their differences aside and improving the region in infrastructure and other aspects.
… We have developed, but have we gone forward –have we changed as people, or are we ourselves still the same?
… EAC becomes center of business, the Dubai and Guangzhou of Africa.
Twitter:
AfricaFuturesProject@AfricanFutures #EAFutureDayBy "#$#, Tanzania’s population is forecast to eclipse!## million. What will that Tanzania look like?pic.twitter.com/ziWchFreLilian Matari@LilianMatari @SIDEastAfrica It doesn’t necesarily mean they are against regional integration with the EAC, they can alwaysjoin as an independent entityAine@Ruthaine “Organize yourselves to bringabout the change that you want to see.“ – OmarMuhammed BBC Media Action #EAFutureDaySID East Africa@SIDEastAfrica Will we ever see an‘African Spring‘ similar to the one we saw in NorthAfrica last year? What would entice East Africans?SID East Africa@SIDEastAfrica The #EAFutureDayhastag had over %## tweets yesterday |http://www.tweetarchivist.com/SIDEastAfrica/! |Cc: @futurechall_org
Three Futures for East Africa(Aidan Eyakuze / SID International Secretariat)
There are three visions for an integrated EastAfrica.
!. I want to be a star. At the moment, this is what we are. But will we continue to be the life of the global economic party?
". I want a visa – both kinds. Regional integration is fantastic for me, whether it works out for the poor or not. I want my visa card, I want to be part of the globe-trotting, Davos set.
#. Don’t rush me. Let’s think about what I really want first, and be thoughtful about the many facets of this before we move forward.
But really we have no choice. It’s in our social DNAto be integrationist, but it’s also being compelledfrom outside.
Some thoughts onEast Africa’s FutureIn my imagined journey…
Mr. Magode Ikuya
Is there such a thing as too much optimism?
Seems like there’s a general disconnect betweenthe population and the decision makers. Some ofthe hopes of the interviewees included: increasedtravel freedom; ease of moving goods and doingbusiness; equalized cost of living; increased educa-tional opportunities. But is it too optimistic? Or issuch optimism necessary for success?
MY problems YOUR problems
OUR problems
It’s all aboutPeople
The chicken and the egg
One critical subject that’s come up several times,and in different ways, is the disconnect between themacro and micro levels, the border and the center,the institutional and the personal. Average citizensdon’t seem to understand in very much detail whatthe plans for regional integration are, and why thegovernments do what they do. This is of course notdissimilar from a lot of other places, not least theUS, though the reasons are very different.If monetary union and political federation are achie-ved, clearly that doesn’t constitute regional integra-tion. It is an empty frame. It needs to be filled with thecomponents of social and cultural integration tobecome sustainable.Does this mean that we’re focusing on the easyquestions at the expense of the more difficult –and more important – ones?Does the development of political institutions forregional integration precede social and cultural integration, or the other way ‘round? Which is thenecessary precondition for the other?
MY Problems andYOUR Problems meet and becomeOUR Problems?
I talked with one of the participants after the event. She’s worked in government, hydrocarbons and non-profits. She said those words that all of us who put on these events are dying to hear: the event changed her view of these issues.
“My greatest hope:
My greatest fear:
Michael Ager, !!, Kenya
Contact
[email protected] Tel +"# $!"% &% &%$'([email protected] Tel +% (!)!) *&" %##[email protected] Tel +"# $!"% &% &%%!"www.futurechallenges.org | www.sidint.net | www.rockefellerfoundation.org
Goodto hear
