The newly elected First vice Chairperson of the African Union, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda and his Tanzanian counterpart John Pombe Magufuli are set to meet over talks on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
Kenya and Rwanda have already signed the deal, but it will not be operational until all the EAC member states sign the agreement which is protested by Tanzania.
A statement released this morning indicates that EAC Heads of State led by their chairman President John Magufuli agreed in September last year to push for more time, the bloc’s committee on the deal to allow more deliberations and negotiations on the mater.
President Yoweri Museveni is quoted to have said they needed to discuss the issue, point on point because scattering it without discussion would be a mistake.
“EPA is also about East Africans. If we scatter it without discussions, it would be a mistake. Am more worried about the unity of East Africa,” Museveni said.
The Tanzanian Parliament already voted against signing of the EPA negotiated between the EU and member states of the EAC.
The two leaders also discussed the situation in Burundi and agreed to meet and harmonize on how to handle the situation.
Meanwhile, President Magufuli commended president Museveni as mediator in the Burundi peace process and Former Tanzania President Benjamin Mkapa as facilitator for their efforts to engage all stakeholders in dialogue.
The two leaders have now agreed to hold a meeting later this month ahead of the next EAC session.
