Progress report due on S. Sudan’s bid to join East African bloc

November 26, 2013 (KAMPALA) – A meeting of the council of ministers of the East African Community (EAC) currently ongoing in the Ugandan capital Kampala will this week get a progress report on South Sudan’s application to join the bloc.

South Sudan applied to join the EAC shortly after attaining independence from Sudan in July 2011.

The Kampala meeting which began on 25 November is attended by ministers from the EAC member states and will end on 30 November with a meeting of the East African heads of state.

The EAC secretariat head of communications and corporate affairs, Owora Othieno Richard said on Tuesday that among the issues that will be heard by the ministers is a progress report which will include South Sudan’s application to join the community.

“It [South Sudan’s application] is among the issues being considered in a progress report on Thursday this week”, Othieno told the Sudan Tribune on Tuesday.

The council of ministers’ meeting will be followed by that of the heads of state summit which will take place on Saturday this week in Kampala.

EAC AWARE OF CASE AGAINST SOUTH SUDAN

EAC’s head of communications and corporate affairs, Owora Othieno Richard, said they had been served with a notice by Ugandan traders who dragged the EAC member states and the community’s Secretary General to the East African Court of Justice to try and block South Sudan’s entry.

“I am aware of that case but I don’t know whether the court of justice has considered it or not”, said Othieno.

“But I will not comment about it as it is a matter before court but we will respect whatever the court rules”, he added.

The Ugandan traders say South Sudan does not have what it takes to qualify to be a member of the East African community.

Othieno said discussions on South Sudan’s admission will continue unless directed otherwise by the EAC court.

(ST)