By Our Correspondent, ARUSHA Tanzania
The
East African Community has suspended all planned meetings until further notice
due to the global outbreak of novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
In a letter to the EAC
Secretary General Liberat Mfumumkeko on Thursday, Rwanda Foreign Affairs
Minister and Chairman EAC Council of Ministers Vincent Biruta called for the
postponement of all EAC meetings that require large crowds.
Consequently, the 21st EAC
Summit that was planned for later this month has also been suspended until
further notice.
The EAC 40th Ordinary Council
of Ministers scheduled for April 14 has also been affected by the directive.
“As we are all aware, the
outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), is rapidly evolving and spreading
too many countries around the world. Several lives have since been lost and
many people are being infected at a fast rate,” said Biruta.
“Against this background, I
have the honour to kindly request you the following: To postpone the 21st EAC
Summit until further notice; To hold all scheduled meetings by videoconference,
where possible; and 3. To postpone and suspend all other meetings and
activities that require large gatherings.”
The Arusha-based secretariat
also announced that some member countries had banned international conferences
indefinitely over the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Government of Rwanda also
took measures to limit internal or international travels by its officials. All
these measures will certainly impact on the quorum required for EAC meetings,”
added Biruta.
The East Africa region has no
confirmed cases yet.
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