President Kiir returns to Juba. December 1, 2024. (Photo: Office of the President).

President Salva Kiir returned on Sunday from Arusha Tanzania where he attended the 24th Ordinary Summit of the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State and Government and passed the bloc’s leadership mantle to Kenya’s William Ruto.

The summit brought together leaders of the member states to assess the achievements of the past 25 years while charting the way forward for deeper integration on critical issues shaping the future of East Africa.

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi skipped the summit without official explanation and Rwandan President Paul Kagame left shortly after the closed-door meeting of the heads of state.

Key agenda items included strengthening the region’s economic resilience, advancing peace and security, and promoting initiatives that foster intra-regional trade and development.

President Kiir handed over the regional bloc’s chairmanship to Kenya’s William Samoei Ruto, who has been elected to lead the EAC until December 2025.

Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdallah Goc said leaders from the region commended President Kiir for his efforts to encourage leaders to embrace dialogue as a means to address disputes, according to a statement from the Office of the President.

The summit emphasized the need to enhance intra-regional trade and development while promoting peace and security in the region.

Heads of State issued a communique outlining recommendations for speedy consultations on the EAC political confederation constitution by 30th June, 2025, and directed the council to prioritize elimination of barriers to trade, removal of restrictions on movement of persons and services to foster trade integration among other pertinent issues.