By Mamer Abraham
South Sudan President, Salva Kiir Mayardit is set to take up the East African Community leadership, next year.
EAC Secretary General, Peter Mutuku Mathuki disclosed President Kiir’s chairmanship schedule, on Wednesday, during a meeting of delegates of the regional body.
The delegates discussed the status of the implementation of South Sudan’s integration into the EAC.
According to the faith of the rotational leadership of the bloc, South Sudan takes over after the expiry of Burundi’s tenure.
Mutuku also notes that many South Sudanese nationals work in the regional bloc, saying this ensures the integration of the country into the regional body.
Undersecretary at the Ministry of East African Community Affairs, Beny Gideon intimates that President Kiir would seize the mantle of the regional bloc at the EAC Regional Summit.
South Sudan is one of the seven partner states of the East African Community, but the number is expected to increase to eight as Somalia is aiming to join the bloc.
Apart from the various positions held by South Sudanese in the EAC Secretariat, it has benefited from scholarship programs.
South Sudan has also made a remarkable contribution to the EAC, by deploying a battalion of 300 personnel on a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).