Leaders of the East African Community (EAC) are set to convene for the bloc’s 25th Ordinary Summit on March 7, 2026, in Arusha, Tanzania, at a time when divisions among some member states threaten regional cohesion.
The summit will focus on strengthening regional integration strategies to improve the welfare of citizens across the Community. Leaders are also expected to reflect on achievements made over the past 25 years since the EAC was revived in 1999.
Key discussions will assess progress under the bloc’s four pillars of integration, including the Customs Union, the Common Market, the proposed Monetary Union and broader political cooperation frameworks. Infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing cross-border connectivity and inclusive development will also be reviewed.
However, the meeting comes against a backdrop of strained relations among some member states, notably Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
The DRC, which joined the EAC in 2022, is currently battling the AFC/M23 armed group in eastern Congo. The group claims to be fighting for the rights of Congolese Kinyarwanda-speaking communities who, it says, face persecution by authorities in Kinshasa.
Burundi, a longstanding ally of the Congolese government, has also been drawn into the conflict, backing Kinshasa’s military efforts. Tensions have further escalated as the Congolese government accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels — allegations Kigali has repeatedly denied.
Rwanda, in turn, accuses the DRC and Burundi of collaborating with the FDLR militia, a group linked to perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, in actions it says threaten Rwanda’s national security.
The summit is expected to address not only integration milestones but also institutional matters, including the appointment of a new EAC Secretary General, deputy secretaries general and judges to the East African Court of Justice.
The current Secretary General, Veronica Mueni Nduva of Kenya, assumed office in June 2024, succeeding Peter Mathuki. She made history as the first woman to hold the position since the EAC’s establishment.
Observers say the Arusha summit will test the bloc’s ability to maintain unity and advance integration amid ongoing political and security challenges within the region.
