President Paul Kagame on November 30, 2024 arrived in Arusha, Tanzania, to attend the 24th regular meeting of the heads of state of the East African Community (EAC).
When he arrived at the airport, he was received by the Secretary in the Office of the President of Zanzibar for Labour, Economy and Investment, Shariff Ali Shariff. This meeting scheduled for November 30 is going to take place while the EAC is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has been re-launched.
It has the theme of "promoting trade, sustainable development, peace and security for the betterment of society."
President Kagame, William Ruto of Kenya, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda are the leaders of EAC countries who have arrived in Arusha.
They found Samia Suluhu Hassan from Tanzania. President Salva Kiir Mayardit who leads South Sudan and the EAC CEO is expected, Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi is not available because he has sent Vice President Prosper Bazombanza to represent him because "his schedule has become too much".
Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not yet known if he will attend the meeting.
In June 2024, he refused to attend a special meeting of EAC heads of state, in response to President Ruto's statement that the fighters of the M23 armed group were not Rwandans.
Over the past 25 years, the EAC has expanded significantly as its members (countries) have grown from three in July 1999 to eight.
It has the goal of political integration, but it appears that this goal is hindered by serious problems that include conflicts between its member states.
