Juba, South Sudan – Veronica Mueni Nduva took the oath of office as the new Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC) on June 7, 2024, at State House in Juba, Republic of South Sudan. The ceremony was held during the 23rd Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Heads of State, presided over by Salva Kiir Mayardit, Chairperson of the Summit and President of South Sudan.
In her remarks, Nduva pledged to dedicate her tenure to promoting deeper integration and development of the people of East Africa. Her key priorities include strengthening economic integration, promoting peace and security, advancing social development, infrastructure development, and promoting climate resilient growth.
Nduva also emphasized the need for institutional strengthening, enhancing inter-organ and inter-institutional coordination, and promoting a culture of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity at the Community.
The new Secretary General replaces Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mutuku Mathuki, who was recalled by the Republic of Kenya in March 2024 and redeployed as the country’s Ambassador to Moscow. Prior to her appointment, Nduva served as the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Performance and Delivery Management in the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
Nduva is an accomplished governance and public sector professional with a 24-year career spanning service in the Government of Kenya, EAC, US government, and civil society. She holds a BA in Political Science and Communication Studies from the University of Nairobi (UoN) and has vast experience in Human Resource Management and budgetary appropriations.
EAC leaders expressed optimism about the bloc’s progress, noting growing intra-regional trade and the recent admission of Somalia into the Community. South Sudan’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit, expressed optimism about the bloc’s progress, noting that intra-regional trade currently stands at 15% and is expected to rise further. Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni underscored the need to eliminate Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to enhance trade in the region. President Museveni also hailed South Sudan for her upcoming consultations on the Political Confederation Constitution in July and urged other countries to follow suit.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania urged the incoming Secretary General to focus on improving the visibility of the EAC and addressing the lack of shared perception of benefits of integration among East Africans. President Samia also emphasized the need to address the challenges posed by climate change and promote adaptation and mitigation to reduce its adverse impact on EAC economies. Rwandan President Paul Kagame hailed the directive by the Summit for the convening of a retreat of the EAC Ministers of Foreign and Regional Affairs to deliberate on the Report of the Consultative Meetings by the Chairperson of the Summit on Partner States’ Relations. The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, announced that his country would soon be sending Members of Parliament and Judges to the East African Legislative Assembly and the East African Court of Justice, respectively. Somalia is also preparing to integrate into the Customs Union and the Common Market.
