By Aweye Teddy Onam
South Sudan is set to take on the key position of deputy secretary general for infrastructure, productive, social, and political sectors at the East African Community after the bloc’s executive decision-making body, the East African Community Council of Ministers has approved the appointment.
The position for South Sudan was approved together with the Ugandan nominee who is to take on deputy secretary general for customs, trade and monetary affairs.
The Minister of East African Affairs Deng Alor Kuol confirmed the move in an interview with No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on Monday.
“The East African Council of Ministers approved the appointment of two deputy secretary generals, in which one is for finance, she is a Ugandan, the second one is a South Sudanese who is the deputy general secretary for infrastructure and they will be confirmed by the heads of state”, Deng Alor stated.
The official from South Sudan to be appointed to the position is Andrea Ariik Aguer, the former undersecretary of the East African Community, according to Minister Deng Alor Kuol.
The Ugandan nominee is believed to be Annete M. Semuwemba, whose appointment was tweeted by Ugandan Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga on the 24th February, according to the EastAfrican news article.
And the formal appointment is set to happen at a summit yet to take place this year by the East African Community heads of state.
“It is significant because one is going to be from Uganda and the other one from South Sudan. It has a lot of impact in a way that it will coordinate relationships between South Sudan and East African communities…..movement of people, goods and services, [and] developmental projects,” Minister Alor explained.
This follows the EAC’s council meeting that took place last year on the 12th July, 2022, where the recruitment for the two positions deputy secretary-general for infrastructure, productive, social and political sectors, and deputy secretary-general, customs, trade and monetary affairs was approved.
In August 2022, the positions were advertised, and the interviews were carried out this year January 2023 in Nairobi-Kenya, according to the East African news website.
The position for the deputy secretary general for infrastructure was vacant when the term for Christopher Bazivamo who is a Rwandan finished after six years.
Kenya occupies the position of secretary general, and Tanzania occupies deputy secretary for administration and finance, this disqualified them from being the candidate for the two positions to be filled by South Sudan and Uganda.