By The Respondent Reporter, Arusha
Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo (MP), arrived in Arusha yesterday to lead the country’s delegation at the 35th East African Community (EAC) Sectoral Council of Ministers meeting.
The meeting, held in three stages, began on August 31 at the Experts’ level, continued with Permanent Secretaries from September 3–4, and today enters the ministers’ session running until September 6.
Ministers from all EAC member states – Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania – are attending.
During the two-day session, ministers will discuss key issues, including the implementation of previous decisions, the draft Seventh Development Strategy, EAC Vision 2050, the Digital Transformation Strategy 2025–2030, preparations for the Community’s Language Policy, and progress on removing non-tariff barriers.
Political developments among member states will also be reviewed.
The EAC, with over 300 million people, was first established in 1967, dissolved in 1977, and revived in 1999.
Since then, it has achieved major integration milestones, including the Customs Union in 2005 and the Common Market in 2010, while working towards a Monetary Union.
The Community also harmonizes policies in transport, health, education, and energy sectors, positioning itself as a leading model of regional cooperation in Africa.