Posted in Communiqué

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE

19^TH EXTRA-ORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE

29^TH MARCH, 2022

1. THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE, THEIR EXCELLENCIES PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA; PRESIDENT YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA, PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA; PRESIDENT SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, VICE PRESIDENT PROSPER BAZOMBANZA REPRESENTING PRESIDENT ÉVARISTE NDAYISHIMIYE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI AND BARNABA MARIAL BENJAMIN, MINISTER OF PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIRS REPRESENTING PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN HELD THE 19^TH EXTRA-ORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE ON 29^TH MARCH, 2022. IN ATTENDANCE WAS PRESIDENT H.E FÉLIX ANTOINE TSHISEKEDI, PRESIDENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO. THE HEADS OF STATE MET IN A WARM AND CORDIAL ATMOSPHERE.

2. THE SUMMIT RECALLED THAT AT ITS 18^TH EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETING HELD ON 22^ND DECEMBER, 2021, IT HAD DIRECTED THE COUNCIL TO EXPEDITIOUSLY COMMENCE AND CONCLUDE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO FOR ADMISSION TO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY AND REPORT TO THE NEXT SUMMIT.

3. THE SUMMIT CONDOLED WITH E PRESIDENT YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI, AND THE PEOPLE OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA UPON THE DEMISE OF THE LATE RT. HON. JACOB OULANYAH, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA.

4. THE SUMMIT NOTED THE SUCCESFUL CONCLUSION OF THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY FOR THE ADMISSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY AND COMMENDED BOTH PARTIES FOR THIS ACHIEVEMENT.

5. THE SUMMIT RECEIVED AND CONSIDERED THE REPORT OF THE 46TH EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS AND THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE ADMISSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY.

6. THE SUMMIT DECIDED TO ADMIT THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AS A FULL MEMBER OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY.

7. THE SUMMIT DESIGNATED E PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SUMMIT TO SIGN THE TREATY OF ACCESSION OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY BY 14^TH APRIL 2022. THEREAFTER THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO SHALL BE REQUIRED TO DEPOSIT THE INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION WITH THE SECRETARY GENERAL BEFORE 29^TH SEPTEMBER 2022.

8. THE SUMMIT DIRECTED THE COUNCIL TO DEVELOP A ROADMAP FOR THE INTEGRATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO INTO THE EAC AND REPORT PROGRESS TO THE NEXT SUMMIT.

9. THE SUMMIT CALLED FOR DEEPER ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INTEGRATION WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH INCREASED COMPETITIVENESS, VALUE ADDED PRODUCTION, TRADE AND INVESTMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

10. THEIR EXCELLENCIES PRESIDENT YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA, PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA; PRESIDENT SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, VICE PRESIDENT PROSPER BAZOMBANZA REPRESENTING PRESIDENT ÉVARISTE NDAYISHIMIYE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI AND H.E. DR. BARNABA MARIAL BENJAMIN, MINISTER OF PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIRS REPRESENTING PRESIDENT SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN, THANKED THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SUMMIT, PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA FOR SUCCESFULY CONVENING THE 19TH EXTRA- ORDINARY SUMMIT.

DONE VIRTUALLY, THIS 29^TH DAY OF MARCH, 2022.