39th Meeting of the Council of Ministers underway in Arusha

East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 22nd November, 2019: The 39th Meeting of the East African Community Council of Ministers is currently underway in Arusha, Tanzania.

The 39thMeeting of the Council will run from 21st to 28th November, 2019.It is composed of three sessions which are, the Session of Senior Officials which is being held from Thursday, 21st to Saturday, 23rd November, 2019; the Coordination Committee or the Session of Permanent/Principal/Under Secretaries slated for Monday, 25th  and Tuesday, 26th November, 2019, and; the Ministerial session set for Wednesday, 27th November, 2019.

Among the items on the agenda of the 39th Sectoral Council are the Report of the Office of the Secretary General which includes items such as: 6th Annual Reporting of the EAC Audit and Risk Committee for the period ended 30th June, 2019; Report of the 20th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Legal and Judicial Affairs; Request for the Admission into the EAC of the Democratic Republic of Congo; Assent to Bills passed by the East African Legislative Assembly by the Summit; Status update on the ongoing activities in preparation for the EAC 20th Anniversary, and; the Status of Observer Organizations in the EAC.

Other Agenda items are Reports of the Other EAC Organs and Institutions. The 39th Council will also discuss reports on: Planning and Infrastructure; Productive and Social Sectors; Political Matters; Customs and Trade, and; Finance and Administration Matters.

The Council of Ministers, which is established under Article 13 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC, is the policy making Organ of the Community. The Council consists of: the Minister responsible for EAC Affairs of each Partner State; any other Minister of the Partner States as each Partner State may determine, and; the Attorney General of each Partner State.