President Uhuru to chair regional meeting on DRC

President Uhuru Kenyatta is Thursday set to chair a regional meeting on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Nairobi.

In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government has invited Heads of state and Government from other East Africa Community (EAC) countries including Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.

DRC’s president Felix Tshisekedi is also set to attend.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform that the 2nd Heads of State and Government Conclave on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will convene in Nairobi on 21st April, 2022 hosted by His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya,” read part of the statement.

The meeting is a follow up to the recent summit that saw DRC sign up to formally join the regional block.

Also read–> Presidents Kenyatta, Tshisekedi sign treaty of accession of DR Congo into EAC

President Kenyatta, who is also the chairman of the EAC, during the signing pointed out that the accession signature immediately brings DR Congo into the realms and provisions of all the protocols and regional policies of the EAC.

2/3 The signing of the treaty of accession follows the admission of DR Congo🇨🇩 into the EAC as the seventh member of the regional bloc during the virtual 19th Extraordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State chaired by President Kenyatta on March 29. pic.twitter.com/uRfwSjrT36

— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) April 8, 2022

He said the signing will be followed by the immediate removal of all existing Non-Tariff Barriers as well as limitations on the movement of capital, goods, services and people, saying with time this will lead to a major increase in inter-EAC trade.

In this regard, President Kenyatta urged DR Congo to conclude the remaining domestic processes as per its constitution and deposit the instruments of ratification within the stipulated six months period.

The President assured that the Community shall also develop a mechanism for the speedy ratification by DR Congo of the admission of submissions of the Community to the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) processes.