EAC Secretary General Liberat Mfumukeko and ICGLR Executive Secretary Zachary Muburi Muita signed a memorandum of understanding that focuses on cooperating mainly in the matter of peace and security as well as political affairs.
“Among the areas identified for joint intervention are development of capacities to address conflicts, refugees and humanitarian issues, promotion of democracy and good governance,” Mfumukeko said.
He added that other sectors requiring joint intervention include the fight against illegal exploitation of natural resources, the promotion of the private sector and the civil society as well as combating gender based violence (GBV).
Mfumukeko indicated that priority areas for joint intervention are peace and security, conflict prevention, border security management, trans-boundary crime management and circulation of small arms and light weapons.
He said, “With regards to democracy and good governance, priorities include deployment of election monitors in regional elections.”
According to Mfumukeko, the most immediate concern from the EAC perspective is “solving the Burundian crisis in a sustainable way” and addressing the “deteriorating humanitarian situation” prevailing in South Sudan.
Members of the East African Community (EAC) are at the same time members of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
The EAC is made up by six countries including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan and its secretariat is based in Arusha, Tanzania.
For its part, the ICGLR is made up by 12 African Great Lakes countries including Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia. The ICGLR secretariat is based in the Burundian capital Bujumbura.
Source: Coast Week

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