The ordinary meeting of the Summit of East African Community Heads of State,, which had been slated for later this month has been postponed to a later date in January or February 2020.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation yesterday wrote to the EAC Secretary General requesting him to notify partner states that the meeting that was set to be in Arusha - Tanzania on November 30 will not take place.

Rwanda is the current chair of the six-member regional bloc.

According to a letter signed by Olivier Nduhungirehe, the State Minister for EAC affairs, the postponement was at a request sent by a member of the Summit who was not disclosed in the communiqué.

The postponed summit is the 21st edition and is expected to bring together Heads of State from the member states of the EAC to discuss the community’s progress, among other issues of importance.

However, the meetings of the senior officials, the coordination committee and the Council of Ministers, as well as the Business and Investment Summit that were meant to take place alongside the meeting shall take place as initially planned, according to Nduhungirehe’s letter.

The session of the Council of Ministers and Heads of EAC Organs and institutions is scheduled to take place November 29, looking into issues like reviewing and finalisation of the new structure of EAC Organs and institutions approved in October this year.

The council of ministers will also look into the budgeting and recruitment processes and the administrative and budgetary matters, including reduction of the recurrent budget and elaboration of an Administration of the EAC Secretariat Act.

President Paul Kagame took over as EAC Chair in February this year during a summit that was held in the Tanzanian town of Arusha, which also hosts the secretariat of the body. 

editorial@newtimesrwanda.com