President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called for a significant acceleration of regional infrastructure and trade programs to deepen economic integration within East Africa.
The Head of State pushed the strategic agenda during a high-profile diplomatic meeting at State Lodge Nakasero. President Museveni hosted the newly appointed Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), Stephen Patrick Mbundi, alongside a senior delegation from the regional bloc's secretariat.
The consultative dialogue centered on critical roadblocks hindering the full integration of the eight-member regional organization. The leaders evaluated regional trade bottlenecks, cross-border transport infrastructure, institutional staffing shortages, health security, and sustainable financing models.
President Museveni steered the meeting in his capacity as the current Chairperson of the EAC Summit. He challenged the technical secretariat to design faster implementation paths for long-standing regional policies to unlock immediate prosperity for East African citizens.
“As Chairperson of the EAC Summit, I emphasised the need to strengthen regional cooperation and accelerate the implementation of programmes that advance prosperity and integration for our people,” President Museveni stated.
The diplomatic engagement marks a vital push by the current summit leadership to enforce institutional reforms across the regional body. Key priorities under the current integration roadmap include resolving budget-sharing contributions among partner states and harmonizing trade customs protocols.
Secretary General Stephen Patrick Mbundi committed to aligning the secretariat's operational budget and work plan with the main directives issued by the heads of state. The regional team intends to reinforce administrative efficiency at the Arusha headquarters to handle emerging trade and security dynamics effectively.
