President Kagame has arrived in Arusha, Tanzania today where he will attend the annual 10th Summit of the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State on Saturday.
Also in attendance will be the President of Kenya and Chairperson of the EAC Summit, Mwai Kibaki, President of Tanzania, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza and President of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The heads of state will consider among others; the appointment of a new Deputy Secretary General from Uganda, renewal of Mr. Jean Claude Nsengiyumva (Deputy Secretary General – Productive and Social Sectors) contract.
They will also consider a report of the Council of Ministers on the proposed attainment of a Single Customs Territory, signing the protocol on Co-operation in Defence and a report of the Council of Ministers on the application by the Republic of South Sudan to join the East African Community.
The 24th meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers followed by the Permanent Secretaries session will also be underway.
Rwanda has been a member of the EAC since 2007.
Set up in 1999 the EAC is the regional intergovernmental organisation for the five partner states with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, and aims at deepening co-operation among others, political, economic and social fields for their mutual benefit.
As a result the EAC countries established a Customs Union in 2005 and a Common Market in 2010.
The next phase of the integration will see the bloc enter into a Monetary Union and ultimately become a Political Federation of the East African States.
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