This election took place during the ongoing 24th EAC Heads of State Summit in Arusha, Tanzania.
Kenya’s President William Ruto has been elected as the new Chairperson of the East Africa Community (EAC). This sees him take over from South Sudan President Salva Kiir.
The announcement was made on Saturday, November 30, following an election conducted by the Heads of State from seven member countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, and Somalia.
This election took place during the ongoing 24th EAC Heads of State Summit in Arusha, Tanzania. The summit began on Friday, November 29, and is set to conclude today.
The East African Community (EAC) chairman is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of the EAC towards its goals and objectives. The EAC chairmanship is a rotating position, with each member state serving a one-year term.
President William Ruto receives South Sudan President Salva Kiir at State House on August 19, 2023. /PCS
As Kiir was handing over the leadership mantle to President Ruto, Kiir thanked the EAC membership for according him the opportunity to serve them. “I express my deepest appreciation to the EAC for according me this opportunity. It has been a profound honor to serve this great community,” Kiir said.
On his part, Ruto thanked the South Sudan President for his service to the EAC and highlighted that under Kiir’s leadership EAC achieved much integration within member states.
Ruto expressed his gratitude towards member states for entrusting him with the responsibility of Chairing the EAC Sumit for the next one year.
“This is both honor and a profound duty that I undertake with humility, commitment and determination and I pledge to work diligently alongside each and every member to advance the vision and mission of our community,” the head of State pledged.
The President promised to enhance the lives of EAC members by focusing on increasing competitiveness, promoting value-added production, boosting inter-regional trade, and driving investment into the region’s economies.
The new post hands the Kenyan Head of State more influence in the region, at a time when he continues to push for changes across the continent in his post as the African Union (AU) Champion for Institutional Reform.
The high-profile gathering, held under the overarching theme of the EAC’s 25th Anniversary celebrations, serves as a platform to assess the achievements of the past 25 years while charting the way forward for deeper integration.
Key agenda items include strengthening the region’s economic resilience, advancing peace and security, and promoting initiatives that foster intra-regional trade and development.
