DAR ES SALAAM, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Ministers for foreign affairs of member states of the East African Community (EAC), a regional bloc, are meeting in Tanzania's Zanzibar to address the region's peace and security challenges and forge greater unity.
The EAC said in a statement issued Sunday that the meeting, which started Saturday and will end Monday, also examined how to strengthen relationships among member states and move the integration agenda forward.
The statement said the ministers would use the retreat to emphasize the importance of solidarity and collaboration in promoting stability and advancing the region's collective interests.
Veronica Nduva, the EAC secretary general, said the meeting provided a platform for frank exchanges, strategic planning, and the identification of actionable steps to enhance peace and security while deepening integration efforts within the EAC.
Nduva said that as the EAC continues to navigate evolving challenges and opportunities, the meeting will guide future initiatives to foster sustainable development and shared prosperity and stability across the region.
January Makamba, Tanzania's minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, emphasized the importance of unity among EAC member states, noting that it catalyzed the region's economic and social development.
Makamba said the integration can only succeed if peace, stability, and security are established throughout the region.
The EAC is an intergovernmental organization composed of eight member states, namely the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. ■
