EAC leaders vow to fight insecurity
President Uhuru Kenyatta is received by President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania on arrival for the 11th Extra Ordinary East African Community (EAC) Heads of State summit in Arusha, Tanzania. Looking on is President Pierre Nkurunzinza of Burundi. PHOTO/PPS
Arusha
East African leaders on Sunday sent a strong message that the region would not tolerate insecurity or destabilisation that would scare off investors or undermine its development efforts.
The leaders said with major oil and gas discoveries, the region must get rid of any threats to derail its quest to settle down and tap the vast natural resources for development.
“No one should be allowed to destabilise the region. Our region is now conducive for investment and general development,” said President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.
Mr Museveni was addressing the 11th Extra-ordinary Summit of Heads of State at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge outside Arusha, Tanzania, where he said in economic terms the East Africa region was now dynamic and vibrant.
Financial systems
“We have worked tirelessly to maintain a stable macro-economic environment characterised by security of persons, property and our financial systems”, he said
However, he warned that any sign of instability must be fought off to make East Africa more conducive to investments and development.
President Kenyatta, on his part, stressed that stability remained a critical ingredient for the future development and prosperity of the East African Community.
This was the Presidents first EAC meeting where he said his priority would be to work closely with all EAC partner states, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda “to eliminate barriers (to trade) so that we can move freely throughout our region”.
