Summit remarks · 7 June 2024
Your Excellency, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan and Chairperson of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State; Excellencies Members of the Summit; Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me start by expressing my appreciation to President Salvar Kiir for convening this virtual summit to enable us to address urgent matters of the Community.
Similarly, I thank the members for finding time to participate in this virtual summit. This is a true testimony of our unity as a region. Your Excellency Chairperson, and Excellencies Members of the Summit,
Allow me to also use this moment to express my sincere appreciation to Your Excellencies for honouring the Republic of Kenya with your presence at the World Bank International Development Association (IDA21) Summit on April 29, the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit on May 7, and the African Development Bank Group 2024 Annual Meetings last week.
The IDA 21 summit provided an opportunity for us to rally around an ambitious agenda of restructuring the global multilateral financing architecture with the sole aim of improving lives and creating new opportunities, and the World Bank’s International Development Association serving as the cornerstone for this success.
Similarly, the AfDB annual meetings called for urgent reforms of the global financing architecture to bridge the financing gap, which is expected to widen, as Africa’s population rapidly grows.
The outcomes of the IDA and AfDB meetings will address our critical financing needs in a more sustainable manner. I am pleased that, as a Community, we have been able to articulate common positions in these forums and our voice is being heard unambiguously.
Your Excellencies, another matter of the Community, for which I wish to thank the members of the Summit, is the leadership that we are collectively providing in the expansion of interlinked transport infrastructure in the rail, road and multimodal transport sectors. For instance, the Member States served by the Northern Corridor have renewed their commitment to jointly finance this key trade artery to support supply chain efficiency and subsequently reduce the cost of doing business.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have stepped up efforts to source for funding to operationalise various modes of transport through the shared Lake Victoria. These transnational trade corridors will catalyse the opening up of the productive sectors and link our hinterland communities to the international trade chains. Excellencies,
On March 8 this year, I reassigned Dr. Peter Mutuku Mathuki from his position as Secretary-General of the East African Community to be Kenya’s Ambassador to Moscow, Russia. In his place, I nominated Ms Veronica Nduva Muli to serve for the remaining two-year term. Today, the Summit has finalized this matter with her appointment.
Further, as you urged me during the 23rd Ordinary Summit on November 24 last year, the Republic of Kenya has nominated a judge to serve in the First Instance Division of the East African Court of Justice, and we are grateful that the Summit has appointed him.
On behalf of the Republic of Kenya, I assure Your Excellencies that, moving forward, we will continue to make the EAC a successful, responsive, and results-oriented Community. Thank you, your Excellencies. Asanteni sana!