The 17th Ordinary East African Community (EAC) Heads of State Summit originnaly slated for February 29 has been rescheduled for March 2, 2016 in Arusha, Tanzania.
According to a February 25 release by the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department, top on the agenda of the long-awaited meeting to be hosted by Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli for the first time, will be the consideration of reports by the EAC Council of Ministers on the negotiations on the admission of the Republic of South Sudan into the Community; Sustainable Financing Mechanisms for the EAC, and the EAC Institutional Review.
The Summit will also consider Council reports on the Model, Structure and Action Plan of the EAC Political Federation; Implementation of the Framework for Harmonized EAC Roaming Charges; Modalities for Promotion of Motor Vehicle Assembly in the region and Reduction of the Importation of Used Motor Vehicles from Outside the Community, and; the Promotion of the Textile and Leather Industries in the region, and stopping importation of Used Clothes, Shoes and Other Leather Products from outside the region.
The Summit is also expected to deliberate on a report by the Council on the verification exercise for the admission of the Republic of Somalia into the EAC.
The Heads of State are expected to launch the new International East African e-passport (electronic-passport) during the meeting.
Also scheduled to be launched by the Summit is the Private Sector Partnership Fund which is expected to deepen the participation of the private sector in the East African integration.
The Summit will be preceded by a meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers that will take place at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha on February 29, 2016.
