The East African Community (EAC), week kicked off on Saturday with scores of people in Kanombe, Kicukiro district, turning up for the monthly communal work, Umuganda.

The EAC week will be observed by all partner states of the regional bloc, in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the EAC since its revival in 1999. 

The event was led by the EAC Affairs Minister, Monique Mukaruliza, Foreign Affairs Minister, Rosemary Museminali and several government dignitaries.

Mukaruliza gave a detailed report on how Rwanda stands to benefit from the EAC, adding that investment and security in the region are some of the benefits that will directly improve lives of Rwandans.

"The EAC has a market of over one hundred and twenty million people.

This means that we have bigger opportunities to trade with this large number of people,” she said.

The minister explained to the residents the different stages of the EAC integration agenda which includes; Customs Union implementation, the Common Market Protocol, the Monetary Union and ultimately achieving a Political Federation. 

The tenth anniversary celebrations at the regional level will be held next month, in Arusha, Tanzania.      

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