Suspension affects the 21st Heads of State Summit set for March 16.
The East African Community has suspended all planned meetings of the regional body, including the Heads of State Summit citing the coronavirus scare, as Kenya reported the first case of infection in the region.
Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister and chairman of the EAC Council of Ministers, Vincent Biruta, in a letter to the EAC Secretary-General Liberat Mfumukeko, has called for the postponement of all EAC meetings that involve large gatherings.
The suspension of meetings also affects the 21st EAC Heads of State Summit that was planned for March 16.
Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Friday announced that a 27-year old Kenyan citizen who returned to the country from a visit to the US, via London, had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The announcement marked the first case of the disease in East Africa. Ethiopia and Sudan shortly after also announced the first positive tests of a Japanese man who arrived from West Africa and a traveller from the UAE, respectively. The latter died on Thursday night in Khartoum.
The EAC 40th Ordinary Council of Ministers, scheduled for April 14, has also been suspended.
“As we are all aware, the outbreak of Covid-19 is rapidly evolving and spreading to many countries around the world. Several lives have since been lost and many people are being infected at a fast rate,” said Dr Biruta.
Travel restrictions have been taken by all countries across the world, including EAC partner states.
“Against this background, I have the honour of kindly requesting you to do the following: Postpone the 21st EAC Summit until further notice; to hold all scheduled meetings by video conference, where possible; and to postpone and suspend all other meetings and activities that require large gatherings,” Dr Biruta said.
Coronavirus has infected more than 132,000 people in more than 100 countries across the world and killed nearly 5,000.
“The government of Rwanda also took measures to limit internal or international travels by its officials. All these measures will certainly impact on the quorum required for EAC meetings,” said MD Biruta.
The letter is copied to Kenya’s EAC Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed, Burundi’s Minister of Regional Integration and EAC Affairs lsabelle Ndahayo, South Sudan’s Minister of Trade, Industry and East African Affairs Paul Mayom Akec, Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Co-operation Palamagamba Kabudi and Uganda’s Minister of East African Affairs Major General (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire.
On Wednesday, the East African Business Council gave an update of the effects of the virus on the economy.
“With the disruption of imports, EAC stands to be affected by shortages of raw material, capital and consumer goods,” said Peter Mathuki, EABC chief executive.