President Kagame Calls for Sanctions Against EAC Member States, Including DRC and Burundi
President Paul Kagame expressed concerns about some member states of the East African Community (EAC) failing to contribute their financial dues and called for penalties to be imposed on defaulters.
The Head of State raised these concerns on Saturday, November 30, during the 24th Ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State held in Arusha, Tanzania.
President Kagame did not spend much time in Tanzania as he later traveled to Doha, Qatar, where, on Sunday, he and the country’s supreme leader attended the closing ceremony of a Formula 1 race held there.
The 24th EAC Heads of State Summit concluded with Kenya’s President William Samoei Ruto being elected as the new Chairperson of the EAC, succeeding South Sudan’s Salva Kiir Mayardit.
In his speech, Ruto urged member states to expedite their contributions to help the EAC implement its various commitments.
President Kagame, in his remarks read during the summit, supported Ruto’s proposal and emphasized the need for defaulters to face penalties, similar to practices in the African Union (AU).
He stated:
“We need strong enforcement measures because the current situation is unacceptable and unsustainable. For example, the mechanisms established by the African Union have ensured better compliance by its member states.”
President Kagame called on the EAC to adopt AU-like mechanisms to enhance accountability.
The EAC operates on an annual budget exceeding $103 million, sourced from member states’ contributions and external aid.
Currently, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, and South Sudan have significant arrears. Since joining the EAC in 2022, DRC has not made any contributions.
By the end of the 2023/2024 fiscal year, DRC owed $14.7 million, with projections indicating the debt could rise to $22.5 million by the end of the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
Burundi’s arrears stood at $11.2 million, while South Sudan owed $8.6 million.
