The Republic of South Sudan has officially assumed the Chairmanship of the East African Community (EAC), with the country’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, becoming the bloc’s new Chairperson.
Kiir’s appointment to take over the rotating regional leadership position was decided at the 23rd Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State which was held on November 24 in Arusha, Tanzania, according to the EAC Secretariat.
Kiir replaces Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye as the bloc’s chair as per the EAC integration agenda, Member States take turns leading the bloc, holding the Chairperson title for a designated period.
According to Article 12 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, the tenure of office of the Chairperson of the Summit is one year, and the office of the Chairperson shall be held in rotation among the Partner States.
The Summit is the supreme organ of the EAC in terms of decision-making. According to the Treaty, it shall meet at least once every year and may hold extraordinary meetings at the request of any of its members.
The decisions of the Summit shall be by consensus and shall discuss business submitted to it by the Council of EAC ministers and any other matter which may have a bearing on the Community.
With the admission of Somalia to the EAC as its newest member on November 24, 2023, the regional intergovernmental organisation now counts eight Partner States. Those that preceded Somalia as its members are Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
