Nearly $200,000 to cater for Congolese admission into EAC

May 10, 2021 in Policy by Editor

Recently President Uhuru Kenyatta, the current chair of the EAC Heads of State Summit, was in Kinshasa on an official visit where he had bilateral talks with President Felix Tshisekedi (right).

Nearly $200,000 has been earmarked to set in motion the process of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) joining the East African Community (EAC). Currently the EAC is made up of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

This is one of highlights from the virtual talks of the EAC Council of Ministers held last Friday. The Council follows up on decisions made by the Heads of State Summit.

According to a release, ‘The admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo received a major boost after the Council adopted a budget amounting to $188,150 for the next financial year beginning 1^st July, 2021 to be drawn from the EAC General Reserve Fund for activities related to the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Community, and referred the same to EALA for debate and approval’.

Among other things, the money will go towards, a verification mission to be conducted by the EAC on the admission of DRC as a member. The mission will consist of officials from the EAC Organs and Institutions as well as from the six Partner States.

The Summit of EAC Heads of State at its 21^st Ordinary Meeting held on 27^th February, 2021, considered a request by DRC to join the Community and directed the Council to undertake a verification mission in accordance with the EAC Procedure for Admission of New Members into the Community and report to the 22^nd meeting of the Summit.

Recently, President Uhuru Kenyatta, the current chair of the EAC Heads of State Summit was in Kinshasa for an official visit where he had bilateral talks with President Felix Tshisekedi.

Among the Ministers who attended the meeting that was chaired by Kenya’s Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of EAC and Regional Development, Ken Obura, were Amb. Ezechiel Nibigira, (Minister for EAC Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Burundi); Deng Alor Kuol (Minister for EAC Affairs, South Sudan); Prof. Nshuti Manasseh (Minister of State for EAC Affairs, Rwanda); Maj. Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire (Minister for EAC Affairs, Uganda) and Palomagamba John Kabudi (Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Tanzania).

Also in attendance at the meeting was recently appointed EAC Secretary General, Dr. Peter Mathuki.

Other decisions made by the Council concerned the filling of 49 vacant positions within its Organs and Institutions through competitive recruitment. A panel to undertake the recruitment will soon be selected. The Council further rescinded the decisions of the 39th Meeting of Council directing the EAC Ad hoc Service Commission to undertake the recruitments