PRESIDENT John Magufuli is this Thursday hosting his five East African Community (EAC) member state counterparts in Dar es Salaam for their special summit.
The Extra-Ordinary EAC Heads of State
Summit, which will for the first time include South Sudan’s Salva Kiir,
will be attended by Kenyan Uhuru Kenyatta, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni,
Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi and the host Dr
Magufuli.
Speaking here during the Depositing of
Instrument of Ratification on the accession to the treaty for the
establishment of the EAC by the Republic of South Sudan, the Minister
for Foreign Affairs, East African, Regional and International
Cooperation Dr Augustine Mahiga said the Summit is slated for Dar es
Salaam on September 8, 2016.
Dr Mahiga who also chairs the EA Council
of Ministers said South Sudan has officially become member of the
regional bloc, noting that the ministerial sessions preceding the Dar
summit will have representatives from Juba.
Earlier, the EAC Secretary General
Ambassador Liberat Mfumukeko commended President Kiir, the government
and the people of South Sudan for their tireless efforts and commitments
that enabled them to join the bloc.
“Now that they have taken this step
further, the Secretariat will seek guidance from the EA Council of
Ministers on developing a detailed roadmap for integrating the Republic
of South Sudan into ongoing EAC projects and programs,” said Mr
Mfumukeko, adding that the leadership in Juba will be informed on every
step taken in that regard.
Last April, President Magufuli, in his
capacity as the Chairperson of the EAC Heads of State Summit led the
delegation from South Sudan in signing the initial protocol allowing
Juba to join the regional bloc.
A month earlier, during their 17th
Ordinary Summit on March 2, 2016 here, the EAC Heads of State received
the report of the Council of Ministers on the negotiations for the
admission of Juba into the community and decided to admit the Africa’s
youngest nation to the bloc
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