COMMUNIQUÉ: SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE TREATY OF ACCESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

1. THEIR EXCELLENCIES GENERAL SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN, AND DR. JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE HAVE THIS FRIDAY THE 15^TH OF APRIL 2016, SIGNED THE TREATY OF ACCESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA. THE HEADS OF STATE MET AND SIGNED THE TREATY OF ACCESSION IN A WARM AND CORDIAL ATMOSPHERE.

2. H.E. DR. JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI WAS DESIGNATED ON 2^ND MARCH, 2016 BY THE SUMMIT OF EAC HEADS OF STATE AT THEIR 17^TH ORDINARY MEETING, ON ITS BEHALF, TO SIGN THE TREATY OF ACCESSION WITH H.E. GENERAL SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN

3. H.E. DR. JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI THANKED H.E. GENERAL SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO FORMALLY APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP TO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY IN LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE COUNTRY ATTAINED INDEPENDENCE.

4. THEIR EXCELLENCIES THE HEADS OF STATE NOTED THAT THE ENTRY OF SOUTH SUDAN INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY WAS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE REGION.

5. H.E. GENERAL SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT THANKED THE SUMMIT OF EAC HEADS OF STATE FOR AGREEING TO ADMIT THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY.

6. H.E. GENERAL SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT OBSERVED THAT THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN’S ADMISSION INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY WAS THE FULFILMENT OF A DREAM HELD BY THE COUNTRY’S FOREFATHERS MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS AGO, ADDING THAT IT MARKED A DECISIVE SHIFT IN THE COUNTRY’S FOREIGN AND ECONOMIC POLICY.

7. H.E. DR. JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI DIRECTED THE EAC SECRETARIAT TO URGENTLY DEVELOP A ROADMAP FOR FAST-TRACKING THE INTEGRATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN INTO THE ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY.

8. H.E. GENERAL SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN, THANKED HIS EXCELLENCY DR. JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE EAC SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE, FOR THE WARM AND CORDIAL HOSPITALITY EXTENDED TO HIM AND HIS DELEGATION DURING THEIR STAY IN TANZANIA.

DONE AT DAR ES SALAAM, THIS 15^TH DAY OF APRIL, 2016.

………………….............….................... H.E. DR. JOHN POMBE JOSEPH MAGUFULI, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA; AND CHAIRPERSON, EAC SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE

……….………………....…………………… H.E. GENERAL SALVA KIIR MAYARDIT, PRESIDENT, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN