Governing Council Members of ECONet in Kampala-Ugandan with representatives of AU, IGAD, AU-ECOSOCO and EAC during selection of South Sufan a Host Country for ECONet Head Office dated 7th October 2025.

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – A civil society leader announced on Wednesday that the Eastern African Civil Society Network (ECO-Net) is setting up its permanent headquarters in Juba, appealing directly to President Salva Kiir for assistance to streamline the move.

The announcement was made by Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), who hailed the selection as a major achievement for South Sudan.

Yakani confirmed that the country was entrusted with the responsibility of hosting the Eastern African Civil Society Network (ECO-Net).

ECO-Net is a regional platform that currently unites civil society institutions from nine countries, including Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to focus on development and governance initiatives.

More Eastern African nations are expected to join the network.

Yakani added that the decision demonstrates the country’s growing role in regional integration and its capacity to contribute to development and governance initiatives.

Regional Integration and Jobs

ECO-Net serves as a major platform bringing together civil society institutions from nine countries—including South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Tanzania—with more countries expected to join.

The initiative is supported by the African Union, IGAD, the East African Community (EAC), and COMESA.

Mr. Yakani emphasized that hosting the ECO-Net headquarters in South Sudan will create job opportunities for its citizens.

CEPO is currently advocating for South Sudan to host additional regional civil society institutions to further strengthen the country’s position in regional affairs.

Call for Government Support

Mr. Yakani appealed to the national leadership, including President Salva Kiir, and all government institutions to support the necessary legal and administrative processes to ensure the smooth establishment and effective operation of ECO-Net and future organizations.

“Congratulations to the people of South Sudan and the civil society community for this achievement,” he concluded.

“I would like to appeal to the leadership of the country, in particular, His Excellency President, to support us in setting up the office of Econet in South Sudan in terms of registration, opening of an office and support of a space for Econet,” Yakani stated.

He added that this support is crucial because “it is good that we are now exposed to the region and this also is a strong recognition that the family of the civil society in South Sudan is doing a great work in the region.”

The initiative is supported by the African Union, IGAD, the East African Community (EAC), and COMESA, underscoring the regional importance of the new headquarters in Juba.