The inter-governmental organization East African Community (ECA) that consists Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania is to host   a special summit aimed ‘to advance the negotiations on the ‘Nile water question.’

This was indicated in the Communiqué EAC issued upon the conclusion of its 9th Extra-Ordinary Summit of Head of States last Wednesday, Aril 19/2011, in Dar és Salaam, Tanzania.

The Communiqués, which covers a wide range of regional issues, stated, on the 13th paragraph:

The summit reiterated its readiness to host a special summit to advance the negotiations on the Nile water question with a view to realizing a mutually acceptable solution among all the riparian states. The summit noted that the Republic of Burundi had now acceded to the Nile basin initiative agreement.

EAC is a regional organization that established a Customs Union in 2005 and eyes on a political federation of the member countries.

The significance of EAC’s planned summit on the Nile utilizations is not clear.

It has been reported earlier that EAC scheduled ‘a special summit of the riparian countries which would review the status of the Nile Cooperative Framework’ which was supposed to be held on last March, as per the decision on its 12th Ordinary Summit of Head of States. It is not clear why the summit was postponed and whether this communiqué is simply a reiteration of that or it modifies the scope of the intended summit.

Read below the text of the Communiqué
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COMMUNIQUÉ: 9TH EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE EAC

9th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of The East African Community Communiqué

1. The east African community Heads of State, their excellencies President  Pierre Nkurunziza of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the Summit, President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda, President Mwai Kibaki of the Republic of Kenya and the Rt. Honourable Bernard Makuza, Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda, held the 9th extraordinary summit of the East African Community Heads of State at the Kilimanjaro Kempinski hotel, Dar és Salaam, Tanzania on 19th April 2011  in a warm and cordial atmosphere.

2. The summit congratulated the people of Uganda for conducting fair and free national elections and further congratulated his Excellency President Yoweri Museveni upon winning Presidential elections and wished him great success.

3. The summit noted with satisfaction the peaceful referendum in southern Sudan and congratulated the government and the people of the Republic of Sudan for the unity and maturity manifested during the exercise.

4. The summit commended ambassador Juma Volter Mwapachu who is completing his term of office as secretary general of the east African community on 24th April 2011 for his exemplary leadership during the past five years. The summit wished ambassador Mwapachu success in his future endeavors.

5. The summit also commended Mr. Alloys Mutabingwa, outgoing deputy secretary general, for his important contribution to the east African community integration process during his tenure of service to the community. The summit wished Mr. Mutabingwa well in his future endeavors.

6. The summit appointed ambassador dr. Richard Sezibera, from the Republic of Rwanda, new secretary general of the east African community for a non-renewable term of five years with effect from 25th April 2011.

7. The summit also appointed dr. Enos Bukuku, from the united Republic of Tanzania as deputy secretary general of the east African community for a renewable term of three years with effect from 25th April 2011. The summit noted that the council of ministers had decided that dr. Bukuku will be responsible for planning and infrastructure.

8. The summit appointed hon. Mr.  Justice Isaac Lenaola, from the Republic of Kenya, judge of the east African court of justice (first instance division) to replace hon. Mr. Justice Benjamin p. Kubo who is retiring. This appointment takes effect from 1st July 2011.

9. The summit received a report of the council of ministers on the proposed attainment of a single customs territory.  The summit appreciated the progress made and directed the council of ministers to undertake further studies on this matter and report to the summit at the 13th  summit in November 2011.

10. The summit received a report of the council of ministers on the way forward on the political federation. The summit noted that the team of experts had identified fears, concerns and challenges but fell short of making proposals on how to address these fears, concerns and challenges. The summit directed the council of ministers to direct the team of experts, which may be re-constituted as necessary by the partner states, to formulate concrete proposals on how to address the fears, concerns and challenges. The summit directed the council to submit a report on this matter at the 13th summit in November 2011.

11. The summit noted that no progress has been realized in the finalization of the protracted Blue-line enterprise ltd case against the east African development bank. It noted however the bank is proceeding with an appellate process. The summit directed that a comprehensive brief of the case against the bank covering the whole period from the onset of the case against the bank be forwarded to the secretary general of the east African community by the east African development bank for onward transmission to the heads of state for consideration.

12. The summit noted that the council had reviewed the EAC food security action plan (2011-2015) and the EAC climate change policy; and defined parameters for the implementation of these two documents. The summit approved the two documents for implementation.

13. The summit reiterated its readiness to host a special summit to advance the negotiations on the Nile water question with a view to realizing a mutually acceptable solution among all the riparian states. The summit noted that the Republic of Burundi had now acceded to the Nile basin initiative agreement.

14. The summit directed that the component of the Swedish international development agency (SIDA) grant intended directly to finance negotiations rather than capacity building as shown in the grant agreement should be allocated to the east African community partner states. The rationale is that it is the partner states, as contracting parties to the Contonou agreement, that are parties to the Economic Partnership Agreement(EPA) negotiations. The summit directed the east African community secretariat to negotiate with SIDA to allow this transfer of funds to the partner states in order to immediately reactivate the EPA negotiations.

15. The summit reviewed the security situation in the east African community region and noted that there was general stability throughout the region.

16. The summit noted the marked improvement in the security situation in Somalia where the African mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is doing excellent work. The summit commended the EAC partner states of Burundi and Uganda for the sacrifices borne out of their efforts to restore stability in that country. The summit supports the African union and IGAD position on one year extension for the transitional federal government of Somalia to enable the government to draft a new constitution and intensify its war against the al-Shabaab terrorist insurgency.

17. The summit observed the commendable efforts undertaken by AMISOM and Republics of Burundi and Uganda for the sacrifices borne in their efforts to restore stability in Somalia. The summit called upon the international community, in particular the US and the European union to enhance their support to AMISOM including addressing the piracy menace.

18. The summit expressed support for the African union and IGAD positions backing the request by the transitional government of national unity to extend its tenure for one year before elections in order to allow for the maintenance of the security and stabilization efforts.

19. He President Pierre Nkurunziza extended an invitation to the east African community heads of state to Bujumbura, Burundi for the 13th summit of heads of state on 30th November, 2011. The east African community heads of state accepted the invitation.

20. Their excellencies, President Pierre Nkurunziza of the Republic of Burundi, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda, President Mwai Kibaki of the Republic of Kenya, and the RT. Honourable Bernard Makuza, Prime Minister of the Republic of Rwanda thanked their host, his Excellency President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of the united Republic of Tanzania, for the warm and cordial hospitality extended to them and their respective delegations during their stay in Dar és Salaam.

DONE AT DAR ES SALAAM, THIS 19TH DAY OF APRIL 2011

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