EAC TO COLLABORATE WITH ICRC TO TACKLE HUMANITARIAN ISSUES IN EAST AFRICA

Amb. Richard Sezibera posing with Mr. Thierry Meyrat after their meeting.

Amb. Richard Sezibera soaking in Mr. Thierry Meyrat’s enthusiasm about collaborating with the EAC to tackle humanitarian issues in East Africa.

The Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera, met with Mr. Thierry Meyrat, Head of Regional Delegation for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to discuss ways in which the two institutions can collaborate on areas of common concern with the exclusive objective of safeguarding human dignity of the people of East Africa. The meeting took place today at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

In line with the EAC’s vision of creating a prosperous, competitive, secure, stable and politically united East Africa, this collaboration will help in buckling down the influx of refugees across the region.

Amb. Sezibera requested Mr. Meyrat to provide the Community with training in international humanitarian law for staff, Partner States and other members within the EAC.Other areas of cooperation will be stipulated in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) being prepared by the two institutions.

“We are very keen on working in close collaboration with the EAC and in supporting it fulfil its mission on issues of concern to the ICRC,” said Mr. Meyrat. “We are also happy in supporting the EAC to enhance its capacity to address specific humanitarian issues and at the same time, seek EAC’s support to facilitate its humanitarian work among its member States,” he said.