New EAC Secretary General and Council Chairperson Chart Course for Regional Integration
On 13 May 2026, the Secretary General of the East African Community, Ambassador Stephen Patrick Mbundi of Tanzania, paid a courtesy call on the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga.
Ambassador Mbundi, who had formally assumed office on 25 April 2026, and Rt. Hon. Kadaga, who had received her instruments as Chairperson of the Council of Ministers on 7 March 2026, held substantive discussions on the implementation of the Customs Union Protocol and the logistical challenges facing the EAC Secretariat. Their discussions emphasized the urgency of strengthening trade facilitation, addressing bottlenecks in cross-border logistics, and ensuring that private sector participation remained central to the regional integration agenda.
The courtesy call, which took place shortly after both leaders had assumed their respective offices, underscored the importance of early collaboration in advancing the EAC's 7th Development Strategy. They also agreed to fast-track reforms aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the EAC Secretariat.