DR Congo's Tshisekedi set to visit Kenya to sign EAC treaty

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi.

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi in Paris on May 18, 2021. He is scheduled to visit Kenya . PHOTO | LUDOVIC MARIN | POOL | AFP

What you need to know:

  • DR Congo became the seventh member of the Community on March 29 when the EAC Heads of State, during their 19th Ordinary Summit, admitted Kinshasa following recommendation by the Council of Ministers.
  • Kenyatta, the Summit chairperson, informed the meeting that the DR Congo met all the criteria for admission as provided for in the Treaty for the establishment of the EAC.

DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi is scheduled to visit Kenya on Friday where he is expected to sign the East African Community (EAC) treaty.

Kenya is the current chair of the EAC and Tshisekedi is expected to sign the treaty before President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi.

Tshisekedi’s communication office said he “will have intense activities, alongside his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta”.

DR Congo became the seventh member of the Community on March 29 when the EAC Heads of State, during their 19th Ordinary Summit, admitted Kinshasa following recommendation by the Council of Ministers.

Kenyatta, the Summit chairperson, informed the meeting that the DR Congo met all the criteria for admission as provided for in the Treaty for the establishment of the EAC.

President Kenyatta said then that he was looking forward to the DRC signing the Treaty of Accession before April 14, 2022.

This will be Tshisekedi’s third official trip to Kenya as head of state.

The Congolese president will be accompanied by ministers of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, and Fisheries and Livestock.

The DRC and Kenya are also expected to sign a cooperation agreement in Agriculture. 

On April 9, Tshisekedi is expected to attend a Summit with representatives from Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.