EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY
COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE
21ST ORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE
1. THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE, THEIR EXCELLENCIES PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA; PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA; PRESIDENT ÉVARISTE NDAYISHIMIYE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI; PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN; PRESIDENT YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA; HER EXCELLENCY SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN REPRESENTING PRESIDENT DR. JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA HELD THE 21ST ORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE ON 27TH FEBRUARY, 2021. THE HEADS OF STATE MET IN A WARM AND CORDIAL ATMOSPHERE.
2. THE SUMMIT RECEIVED THE PROGRESS REPORT OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FOR THE PERIOD FEBRUARY 2019 TO FEBRUARY 2021 AND COMMENDED THE COUNCIL FOR THE PROGRESS MADE IN IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
3. THE SUMMIT FURTHER CONSIDERED A REPORT OF THE COUNCIL ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVIOUS DECISIONS AND DIRECTIVES OF THE SUMMIT AND DIRECTED THE COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT ALL OUTSTANDING DECISIONS AND DIRECTIVES AND REPORT TO THE 22ND
4. THE SUMMIT RECEIVED A PROGRESS REPORT ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN POLITICAL CONFEDERATION AND DIRECTED THE COUNCIL TO EXPEDITE THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
5. THE SUMMIT CONSIDERED A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS DIRECTIVE TO UNDERTAKE A STUDY ON THE MODALITIES OF INCLUDING FRENCH AS A LANGUAGE OF THE COMMUNITY, IN ADDITION TO ENGLISH AND KISWAHILI AND ADOPTED ENGLISH, FRENCH AND KISWAHILI AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF THE COMMUNITY AND DIRECTED THE COUNCIL TO EXPEDITE THE IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES OF THE DIRECTIVE.
6. THE SUMMIT CONSIDERED A REPORT ON THE ROADMAP FOR THE ACCELERATED INTEGRATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN INTO THE EAC AND DIRECTED THE COUNCIL TO CONCLUDE THE PROCESS.
7. THE SUMMIT NOTED THAT THE VERIFICATION EXERCISE FOR THE ADMISSION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF SOMALIA INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HAD NOT BEEN UNDERTAKEN AND DIRECTED THE COUNCIL TO FOLLOW UP ON THE EXERCISE.
8. THE SUMMIT CONSIDERED AN APPLICATION BY THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC) TO JOIN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY AND DIRECTED THE COUNCIL TO EXPEDITIOUSLY UNDERTAKE A VERIFICATION MISSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EAC PROCEDURE FOR ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS INTO THE EAC AND REPORT TO THE 22ND
9. THE SUMMIT RECALLED ITS PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS ON THE EU-EAC ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT AND RECOGNIZED THAT NOT ALL PARTNER STATES ARE IN A POSITION TO SIGN, RATIFY AND IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT. THE SUMMIT RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF SOME PARTNER STATES TO MOVE FORWARD. THE SUMMIT CONCLUDED THAT PARTNER STATES WHO WISH TO DO SO SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMMENCE ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE EU WITH A VIEW TO STARTING THE EU-EAC-EPA IMPLEMENTATION UNDER THE PRINCIPLE OF VARIABLE GEOMENTRY.
10. THE SUMMIT APPOINTED DR. PETER MATHUKI FROM THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA AS THE NEW SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COMMUNITY FOR A FIVE-YEAR NON-RENEWABLE TERM. THE TENURE OF THE NEW SECRETARY GENERAL TAKES EFFECT ON 25TH APRIL, 2021
11. THE SUMMIT THANKED AMB. LIBERAT MFUMUKEKO FOR HIS DEDICATED SERVICE RENDERED TO THE COMMUNITY AND WISHED HIM WELL IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVOURS.
12. THE SUMMIT APPOINTED JUSTICE NESTOR KAYOBERA, LADY JUSTICE ANITA MUGENI AND JUSTICE KATHURIMA M’INOTI AS JUDGES TO THE APPELLATE DIVISION OF THE EAST AFRICAN COURT OF JUSTICE WITH EFFECT FROM 27TH FEBRUARY, 2021.
13. THE SUMMIT ALSO APPOINTED JUSTICE YOHANE BAKOBORA MASARA, JUSTICE RICHARD WABWIRE WEJULI, JUSTICE RICHARD MUHUMUZA AS JUDGES TO THE FIRST INSTANCE DIVISION OF THE EAST AFRICAN COURT OF JUSTICE WITH EFFECT FROM 27TH FEBRUARY, 2021.
14. THE SUMMIT DESIGNATED JUSTICE NESTOR KAYOBERA AS JUDGE PRESIDENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COURT OF JUSTICE, JUSTICE GEOFFREY KIRYABWIRE AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COURT; JUSTICE YOHANE BAKOBORA MASARA AS PRINCIPAL JUDGE AND JUSTICE AUDACE NGIYE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL JUDGE WITH EFFECT FROM 27TH FEBRUARY, 2021.
15. THE SUMMIT THANKED JUSTICE DR EMMANUEL UGIRASHEBUJA, JUSTICE LIBOIRE NKURUNZIZA, JUSTICE AARON RINGERA, LADY JUSTICE MONICA MUGENYI, JUSTICE DR FAUSTIN NTEZILAYO AND JUSTICE FAKIHI JUNDU FOR THEIR DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND WISHED THEM WELL IN THEIR FUTURE ENDEAVOURS.
16. THE SUMMIT RESOLVED THAT THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA WOULD BE THE NEW CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMUNITY WHILE THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI WOULD BE THE RAPPORTEUR. THE SUMMIT CLARIFIED THAT THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI WOULD BECOME THE NEXT CHAIRPERSON AFTER THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA.
17. THEIR EXCELLENCIES PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA; PRESIDENT ÉVARISTE NDAYISHIMIYE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI; PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN; PRESIDENT YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA AND VICE PRESIDENT SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN REPRESENTING PRESIDENT DR. JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, THANKED THE OUTGOING CHAIRPERSON OF THE SUMMIT, HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA, FOR HIS STEWARDSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY DURING HIS TENURE.
DONE AT ARUSHA, THIS 27TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2021.
