Matia Samuel
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan will take over the chairmanship of the East African Community next year, assuming the leadership of a seven-member regional bloc that is currently struggling with challenges of insecurity and economy.
The East African Community Secretary-General Peter Mutuku on Wednesday met with President Salva Kiir, where he revealed to him that he will take over from President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi.
“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,” notes the treaty that establishes the EAC on the term of the chairperson of the Summit.
Bu what does taking up the most powerful seat of the bloc mean for President Kiir and South Sudan?
As the chairperson of the bloc (EAC), Kiir will preside over all public meetings, hearings, or other official EAC functions, and serve as the primary spokesperson of the EAC.
He will also schedule, notice, and call EAC public meetings, hearings, and other events.
In the case of South Sudan where President Kiir may at times be occasionally held up by other engagements the EAC treaty stipulates that a minister may be allowed to assume duties on his behalf.
It notes, “If a member of the summit is unable to attend a meeting of the Summit and it is not convenient to postpone the meeting, that member may, after consultation with other members of the summit, appoint a Minister of Government to attend the meeting.
It adds, “A Minister so appointed shall, for purposes of that meeting, have all the powers, duties and responsibilities of the member of the Summit for whom that person is acting.”
President Kiir will also take over at a time that the bloc faces challenges such as harmonisation of trade policies, insecurity in Congo, Uganda and some parts of Kenya and South Sudan’s struggle to ratify some of the protocols and pay membership fees.
Optimism
But according to Dr Abraham Maliet, an economic expert, the appointment will come at an opportune moment and President Kiir will be able to perform and give the country get recognition.
“I am confident he will perform, in fact, it is good for him to lead the bloc so that our performance as a country is experienced for those who don’t know us,” Dr. Maliet said.
He added that President Kiir becoming the bloc’s chair will be an advantage for South Sudan’s economy.
“Significantly, it is also good for our economy because people will be trusting us now because he is the head of the bloc then people will have to come down and understand how this country is.”
The economist argued that by leading the EAC will offer South Sudan glimpses of opportunities through organised summits that could provide leeway for the penetration of investors.
“When we are leading and calling for the summits, they will visit, they will see all that we have and we will be promoting our country as well.
“We will have tourism and investment. They will also experience the peaceful country we are living in, and it is an economic advantage,” Dr. Abraham explained.
He said that South Sudan’s political and economic challenges can also be tackled by the member countries since the country is part of the East African Community.
“There is the peace implementation roadmap and then the economic recovery, these are agendas that can be taken to the level of the bloc because stability in this country matters to all members of the bloc.”
“South Sudan now is the breadbasket for all, all the members of the bloc are doing business in this country and they are prospering because there is leadership, there is peace,” he said.
The EAC was established to set up a prosperous, competitive, secure, stable, and politically united East Africa.
Also, it was to provide a platform to widen and deepen economic, political, social and cultural integration in order to improve the quality of life of the people of East Africa through increased competitiveness.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
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