East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 23rd February, 2023:Following the Mini- Summit of Heads of States and Governments on Peace and Security in Eastern DRC recently held in Addis Ababa; the EAC Secretary General, Hon (Dr.) Peter Mutuku Mathuki, held a meeting with the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Amb. João Caholo, deliberating on areas of cooperation between the two institutions in supporting the restoration of peace and security in Eastern DRC.
The two leaders committed to enhancing collaboration between the two institutions by partnering and availing necessary support to each other, in the quest for restoring peace and security in Eastern DRC.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 6th February, 2023: The East African Community (EAC) has re-launched the Nyerere Centre for Peace Research as part of the Community’s commitment to enhance peace and security, good governance and joint common foreign policy pursuits in order to promote regional integration and development.
The research centre is set to support the EAC in undertaking timely, relevant and empirical research on peace and security issues in the region hence ensuring that policy decisions adopted at EAC level are consistent with other international legal instruments.
The Former President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, in his capacity as the Facilitator of the East African Community (EAC), Led- Nairobi Process on restoration of peace in the Eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), had the occasion to meet with the chairman and senior political & military leaders of the M-23 group, in order to seek to restore peace in Eastern (DRC).
In a demonstration of goodwill and the willingness to work towards the settlement of the situation in North Kivu, the M-23 leaders agreed to continue with an orderly withdrawal and to adhere to a strict cease-fire. They further agreed to continue to respect and cooperate with the East African Regional Force (EARF) that has now begun to take control of the areas vacated by the M-23; a process that is in adherence to the decision of the extraordinary meeting of the EAC Chiefs of General Staff held in Bujumbura on 8'h November 2022.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 6th December, 2022: The French Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Nabil Hahjlaoui, pledged his country’s commitment to support EAC-Led Nairobi Process, on restoration of peace and security in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
H.E. Hahjlaoui made the disclosure when he met with the Secretary General of the EAC, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki, who paid a courtesy call on him at his residence in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Amb. Hahjlaoui reiterated his country’s commitment to use its experience and help in any way necessary to bring peace back in Eastern DRC.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 29th September, 2022: The East African Community (EAC) Dr. Peter Mathuki and the Provost of the Arcadia University, USA, Dr. Jeff Rutenbeck have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate in the operationalization of the Nyerere Center for Peace and Conflict resolution in Arusha, Tanzania.
The center is set to build capacity in programmes on peace and security, political affairs and international relations and will support the development of EAC policies, concepts and strategies.
The MoU signed at the Arcadia University, Pennsylvania, USA, establishes the framework for operations of the Nyerere Center for Peace Research and the terms of the operational partnership between the EAC, the International Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) program at Arcadia University, and the American Graduate School for International Relations and Diplomacy.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 9th September, 2022: The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), H.E President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi has presided over the signing of an agreement giving green light to the deployment of the EAC Joint Regional Force, led by the Armed Forces of the DRC in Eastern DRC, to fight the negative forces.
East African Community (EAC) Secretary General, Hon (Dr.) Peter Mathuki and DRC’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’Apala signed the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) at the official residence of the President in Kinshasa, DRC.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 1st August, 2022: The East African Community (EAC) has today officially launched the EAC Election Observation Mission, set to observe the upcoming General Elections in the Republic of Kenya.
The Head of the EAC Election Observation Mission is H.E Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 13th June 2022: The EAC Partner States have re-affirmed their commitment to equip their Armed Forces, police and security stakeholders with training on peace support operations following the successful completion of the 12th EAC Armed Forces Field Training Exercise, dubbed “Ushirikiano Imara 2022”.
The 2-week training, held in Jinja, Uganda, aimed at enhancing Partner States’ Defence Forces’ capabilities in jointly combatting complex security challenges faced in the region.
Speaking, at the closing ceremony of the exercise, EAC Secretary General Hon.(Dr.) Peter Mathuki noted that the region continues to be faced with real and potential complex emergencies, which can easily translate into threats to the social economic, cultural and political wellbeing of the people of East Africa.
“These threats range from porous borders and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, internal strife, terrorism and insecurity and it is thus critical for the region to develop its capacity to handle such emergencies and threats,” Dr.Mathuki said.
The East African Community Co-operation in Defence provides an opportunity for the security forces to chart a way forward on the region’s security challenges.
“We need unity, peace, stability and strength to defend our common interests as East Africans. This will in effect provide a conducive and attractive environment for investment and development of the region,” he said.
The exercise was held in accordance with the EAC Defence Sector calendar of activities and under the provisions of the East African Community Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs whose four pillars include, military training, joint operations, technical cooperation; visits and exchange of information.
This year, all Partner States sent their contingents except the region’s new member the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with General Celestin Mbala Munsense, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the DRC representing the country at the closing ceremony.
The objectives of the Field Training Exercise “Ushirikiano Imara 2022”, included among others; to enhance interoperability between the EAC Partner States’ Defence Forces and other key stakeholders, to evaluate the readiness of the EAC Partner States’ Defence Forces and key stakeholders in response to complex security challenges; and to practice the EAC Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Peace Support Operations, Disaster Management, and Counter Terrorism and Counter Piracy operations.
The Exercise was also meant to practice participants on Command, Control, Communication and information in combined joint operations.
For more information, please contact:
Simon Peter Owaka Senior Public Relations Officer Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department EAC Secretariat Arusha, Tanzania Tel: +255 768 552087 Email: sowaka [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of six Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 12th May, 2022: The East African Community will conduct the 12th EAC Armed Forces Field Training Exercise (FTX) USHIRIKIANO IMARA 2022 in Jinja, Uganda from 27th May to 16th June, 2022.
The exercise will be conducted in accordance with Article 2 of the EAC Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs under the theme, “Promoting Peace, Security and Stability towards the East African Community Integration.”
The main objective of the exercise is to train the Partner States’ Armed Forces, Police, Civilian components and other stakeholders in planning, and conduct an integrated mission encompassing; peace support operations, disaster management, counter terrorism and counter piracy.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 10th May, 2022: The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its readiness to continue working with the East African Community (EAC) in combating terrorism and trans-national crime in the region.
The Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Tanzania and the EAC, Amb. Emilio Rosetti, said that any region or country must be stable and secure to deliver on its development goals, adding that peace and stability were the building blocks for the free movement of persons, labour, goods and services, which are the essence of all integration initiatives.
