Arusha — Unless the five East African member states shake themselves free from their ever-increasing donor dependency, their integration will simply create one large puppet block with its strings being pulled from the West.

A leading don Prof. Issa Shivji of the University of Dar-Es-Salaam stated in Arusha that the more a country thrives on donations from overseas the less independent that state will be and same case applies to the East African Community which has just marked its 10thanniversary milestone.

"The west will continue to make decision on our behalf and they will dictate our plans and thinking," warned Mr Shivji.

Prof. Shivji was speaking shortly after presenting a paper at the Arusha held EAC Anniversary symposium, which took place at Snow-Crest hotel in Ngulelo area last week.

The symposium was one of the activities marking the climax of the decade milestone celebrations. The don had made a presentation on the topic Pan Africanism and the Challenges of EAC Integration.

The two-day symposium held under the theme; " EAC 10 Years of Integration: One People, One Destiny!" was attended by more than 100 participants drawn from Government, Civil Society, Academia, Business Community and the Media of the EAC member countries, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.

High level presenters and discussants lead discussions on various topics chosen for their significance to the East African regional integration at the moment: Pan Africanism and the Challenges of EAC Integration; Science and Technology as Strategic Driver of EAC Development ; Climate Change and its Implications to development in the EAC Region; and Role of Non State Actors in Deepening EAC Integration. .

The Secretary General for the East African Community Amb. Juma Mwapachu said the objectives of the Symposium were to highlight the achievements of the EAC during the 1st decade of its operations (1999-2009) and identify the challenges and prospects of the regional integration process in the period ahead.

The Symposium was also meant to document, publicize and popularize the EAC among the East African people and galvanize a passionate, visionary and broad participation in the EAC integration process. The deliberations of the Symposium will be published in a book.

The Symposium was also attended by all the Ministers Responsible for EAC Affairs in the EAC Partner States - Hon Monique Mukaruliza, Minister of EAC Affairs, Rwanda and Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Rwanda Rt. Hon. Eriya Kategaya, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of EAC Affairs, Uganda Hon Amason Jeffah Kingi, Minister for East African Community, Kenya Hon Dr Diodorus Kamala, Minister for East African Cooperation, Tanzania Hon Hafsa Mossi, Minister East African Community Affairs, Burundi - who chaired various sessions of the Symposium.

Prof Edward Oyugi of Tanzania presented a paper on the Role of Non-State Actors in Deepening EAC Integration and Prof Laurent Ntahuga of Burundi lead discussions on Climate Change and its implications to Development in the EAC Region.