The Chairperson of the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State Summit, South Suda President Salva Kiir Mayardit, is set to assign special envoys to support his efforts in addressing inter-state relations within a regional framework, the EAC Secretariat has announced.

The Secretariat posted on X that EAC Secretary General Peter Mathuki while in State House, Juba, South Sudan, on Monday, January 15, briefed President Kiir on inter-state relations in the regional bloc.

Kiir became the Chairperson of the Summit of EAC Heads of State on November 24, 2023.

In a statement issued by the EAC Secretariat, on January 12, Mathuki encouraged Partner States "to deploy peaceful settlement of any disputes and restrain, strictly observing the spirit of our Treaty and particularly on peaceful co-existence and good neighbourliness.”

His statement followed Burundi’s unilateral decision, on January 11, to close its borders with Rwanda, which the Government of Rwanda regretted.

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Burundi’s decision came less than a month after its President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused Rwanda of harbouring and supporting members of RED Tabara, a Burundian armed group blamed for an attack that killed 20 people on December 22, 2023, in Gatumba, western Burundi.

The Rwandan government dismissed Ndayishimiye&039;s claims on December 29, saying there was "no truth whatsoever" in his allegations.

In a statement released on on January 11, the Government of Rwanda said the "unfortunate decision will restrict the free movement of people and goods between the two countries and violates the principles of regional cooperation and integration of the East African Community."

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