Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian diplomat Stephen Patrick Mbundi has been appointed the new Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC).
His appointment was announced during the 25th Ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State held in Arusha on March 7.
The summit is the highest decision-making organ of the regional bloc.
Ambassador Mbundi succeeds Veronica Nduva of Kenya, who has served as Secretary General since June 7, 2024.
Before his appointment, Mbundi served as Permanent Secretary responsible for East African affairs in Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
He is a senior diplomat with decades of experience in regional cooperation and international relations.
In his previous role, he represented Tanzania in several EAC ministerial and technical meetings that focused on advancing regional integration.
The EAC Secretary General is the chief executive officer of the Community’s Secretariat.
The office oversees the implementation of decisions made by the EAC Summit and the Council of Ministers.
The position is appointed by the Heads of State and typically carries a fixed five-year term.
The Secretariat coordinates policies and programmes that support regional integration among partner states.
The East African Community brings together eight partner states.
These include Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia.
The bloc aims to deepen cooperation in trade, infrastructure, security and political integration across East Africa.
Mbundi’s appointment places Tanzania at the helm of the regional body at a time when member states are pursuing deeper economic integration and expanded cooperation within the bloc.
