East African Community Secretary General Peter Mutuku - Credit: EAC

East African Community Secretary General Peter Mutuku has called on member states to embrace peaceful dispute resolution mechanisms in the event of any disagreements between them.

In a statement, Mutuku urged member states to strive to achieve harmonious cooperation in their undertakings in furtherance of the EAC objectives of advancing mutual benefit.

“In the event of any dispute…it is expected that we use the existing EAC Dispute Resolution Mechanism that fully respects the integrity and sovereignty of our partner states,” he said.

In a statement issued on Friday, Dr Mutukus says if any dispute arises between two or more partner states, they should use existing Dispute Resolution Mechanisms that fully respect the integrity and sovereignty of our Partner States.

“We encourage the esteemed Partner States to deploy peaceful settlement of any disputes and restrain, strictly observing the spirit of the Treaty and particularly on peaceful co-existence and good neighbourliness,” the bloc Secretary-General, Peter Mutuku Mathuki said.

The Secretary-General says it’s closely working with the Office of the Chairperson of Heads of State to facilitate the peaceful resolution of any arising disputes amongst the partner states.

He mentioned that the East African Community was founded primarily to cooperate for mutual benefit and to promote the welfare of the people of East Africa, including jointly undertaking activities in furtherance of the objectives of the Community.

His statement comes amid an apparent diplomatic tiff between Nairobi and Kinshasa and possible poor relations between the community and the DRC.

On December 17, Kinshasa recalled its envoy in Arusha Pierre Masala and its envoy in Nairobi, John Nyakeru in protest of a meeting of rebel leaders held in Nairobi.

Kenya distanced itself from the meeting with President William Ruto later revealing that he refused a plea from Kinshasa to arrest the rebels.

The East African Community is a regional economic community comprising eight partner states: The Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania, DR Congo, Somalia, and the Republic of Uganda.

Its headquarters are in Arusha, Tanzania.