This archive report was first published on 13 May 2020.
On May 13, 2020, the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State and Government convened a virtual meeting, chaired by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, to discuss the region's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meeting, attended by Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), and Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan), focused on the continued free movement of goods and the management of the cross-border spread of COVID-19.
The leaders acknowledged the challenge posed by cross-border trade in the fight against the virus, particularly the emergence of truck drivers as a high-risk carrier population.
President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasized the need for collective EAC interventions against the global pandemic, stating, "A unified stand is what we need to combat this pandemic in the region."
The Heads of State tasked their respective state agencies to roll-out border screening and testing measures for truck drivers without compromising cross-border movement of goods.
They expressed satisfaction with regional measures taken so far to manage COVID-19 and thanked the EAC Secretariat and the Council of Ministers for their efforts.
The leaders urged member states to prioritize local production of essential supplies needed to combat COVID-19 and encouraged investment in agricultural production, agro-processing, and value addition.
