Salva Kiir arrives today for the signing of a protocol that will see his country officially joining the East Africa Community (EAC).
Addressing journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Head of Communications in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, East Africa, Regional and International Cooperation, Mindi Kasiga, said President Kiir is expected to arrive at the Julius Nyerere International Airport at 9.00am.
He will be received by Minister of Foreign Affairs, East Africa, Regional and International Cooperation, Dr Augustine Mahiga, who will lead the delegation to State House where Kiir will meet his host, President Magufuli.
She explained that since it is a working visit, the Sudanese leader will not receive the traditional 21-gun salute to welcome him.
South Sudan will be the newest EAC member bringing the number of countries forming the regional economic grouping to six after Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
“This is a very unique opportunity for Tanzania and the rest of the EAC members... South Sudan imports almost everything, so traders should access this and seek opportunities available to export goods and other services,” she said.
During their 17th Ordinary Summit held on March 2 in Arusha, the EAC Heads of State received the report of the Council of Ministers on the negotiations for the admission of the Republic of South Sudan into the Community and decided to admit the Republic of South Sudan as a new member.
President John Magufuli, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the East African Community’s Heads of State Summit, announced that South Sudan was the six newest member of the regional bloc, which was revived in 1999 after the collapse of the original community in 1977.
Other members of the EAC include the founding three -- Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania -- as well as Rwanda and Burundi that joined later in 2007.
