The Secretary General of the East African Community Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera is in Juba leading a High Level Technical Mission (15-16 July 2014) from the EAC Secretariat to gain a better understanding of South Sudan’s preparations as well as to provide Government officials with valuable guidance on the way forward for South Sudan’s Negotiation to accede to the EAC.
Amb. Sezibera who is accompanied by Hon. Wilbert Kaahwa, Counsel to the Community; Prof. John Ruhangisa, Registrar of the East African Court of Justice; Mr. Kenneth Madete, Clerk of the East African Legislative Assembly; Mr. Phillip Wambugu, Director Infrastructure; Mr. Kenneth Bagamuhunda, Director Customs; and other senior officials, today held discussions with H.E James Wani Igga, the Vice President; and met with Hon. Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; and Hon. Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.
Addressing the Press this morning, the Secretary General said the purpose of the Mission was basically to share with the Government officials on what needs to be done as the country (South Sudan) prepares to start the negotiation to join the EAC.
He informed the media that during the Mission, the Technical Team from the EAC Secretariat will be able to brief Ministers and High–Level Technocrats on the modalities of the EAC accession process.
Amb. Sezibera commended H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan for appointing the High Level Committee to oversee the negotiations of South Sudan’s accession to the EAC. He also hailed Hon. Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; and Hon. Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning for being appointed to spearhead the process.
‘The Negotiation process will be quiet tedious, involving and calls for a lot of diplomacy, I have every confidence that the two Honourable Ministers will handle the process with their usual commitment to the continued success of the EAC-South Sudan engagement” affirmed the Secretary General.
Amb. Sezibera reassured the Vice President and the Honourable Ministers that the EAC Secretariat was committed to work closely with the Government of South Sudan to ensure smooth negotiation process.
He also urged the South Sudanese media to fully participate in the EAC-South Sudan negotiation process by reporting objectively on the issues at hand, adding that “you the South Sudanese and International media have sterling role to get the country to embrace regional integration with passion, dedication and commitment for the benefit of the present and future generations”.
The Republic of South Sudan applied to join the East African Community on 10th June 2011. A Verification Committee from the EAC visited the Republic of South Sudan from 15th to 31st July, 2012 with the aim of establishing the Republic of South Sudan‘s level of conformity with the Criteria for Admission of Foreign Countries into the East African Community as provided under Article 3 of the Treaty Establishing the EAC.
Based on recommendation of the report by the Verification Committee, the EAC Heads of State Summit in November 2012 directed the Council of Ministers to negotiate the admission of South Sudan putting into consideration the provision of the EAC Treaty on the criteria for joining the Community.
Based on the Summit directive, the EAC Council of Ministers established a High Level Negotiation Team and the Team is ready to start the negotiation process with the Republic of South Sudan.
To initiate this process on the side of South Sudan, His Excellency Salva Kiir Mayardit appointed a High Level Committee on 13th March 2014 to oversee South Sudan’s accession to the EAC. The High Level Committee has started its work by undertaking several preparatory activities for the negotiations.
In November 2013, a High Level Mission from the Republic of South Sudan was at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. That High Level Mission comprised of 10 Ministers, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairpersons of various Committees of the Assembly, Under Secretaries, Director Generals, among others and was led by Hon. Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, the then Minister of Finance, Commerce, Investment and Economic Planning.
EAC please tell the South Sudanese to reconcile and get out of this tribalism. The civil war that is pitting the leaders and dividing the people is so backward, it is hurting the local people and the required development there.
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