East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 20 November 2014: The Sixteen Ordinary Summit of the East African Community Heads of State will be held on 30 November 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya. The 16th Summit will be preceded by the 3rd EAC Retreat of the Heads of State on Infrastructure Development and Financing on 29 November 2014, also in Nairobi, Kenya.

The 16th Ordinary EAC Heads of State Summit will among others consider; Annual Report of the Council of Ministers for the period December 2013 to November 2014; Report of selected priority matters namely; the EAC Institutional Review; Modalities on the Sustainable Financing Mechanisms for the East African Community; Negotiations for the Admission of the Republic of South Sudan into the East African Community; Verification of the Application of the Federal Republic of Somalia to Join the East African Community; Initiation of a Constitution-making process and a Road Map for the EAC Political Federation; Progress Towards the Establishment of a One Area Network for East Africa; and Implementation of the Directive of the Summit on Extension of Jurisdiction of the East African Court of Justice.

The change of Chairmanship is also expected at the 16th Ordinary Summit. The Republic of Kenya is the current Chair of the regional bloc.

At the 3rd EAC Retreat on Infrastructure Development and Financing, the Heads of State will receive reports on the status of implementation of the directives issued at the 2nd Retreat; implementation of the priority projects identified at the 2nd Retreat; and a 10-Year Investment Strategy for the priority projects as well as a proposal on resource mobilization.

Furthermore, the Retreat will be addressed by selected speakers representing some of the institutions that support the region in the development of infrastructure.

Both the 16th Ordinary Summit and the 3rd Infrastructure Development and Financing Retreat are expected to be attended by Their Excellences President Jakaya Kikwete of United Republic of Tanzania, Pierre Nkurunziza of Republic of Burundi, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda, and the host, Uhuru Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya.

Preparatory meetings begin Wednesday 20 November.

Meanwhile, the series of preparatory meetings for the 16th Summit of Heads of State commenced today at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre with the Meeting of Senior Officials of the Co-ordination Committee that runs up-to early morning of Monday 24 November. This will be followed by the Meeting of the Co-ordination Committee (Permanent/Principal Secretaries) on Monday, 24 November to Thursday 26 November; and the 30th Meeting of the Council of Ministers on Thursday, 27 November 2014.

The Council of Ministers is the Policy Organ of the East African Community. It consists of the Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs/regional co-operation of each Partner State and such other Ministers of the Partner States as each Partner State shall determine. Among its functions, the Council promotes, monitors and keeps under constant review the implementation of the programmes of the Community and ensures the proper functioning of the regional organisation.

Source: East African Community

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