Tanzania did not to attend the EAC Heads of State summit to discuss the coronavirus disease pandemic in the region because the issue was a concern for Northern Corridor countries only, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Co-operation Palamagamba Kabudi.

While addressing the Tanzanian Parliament on May 13, Prof Kabudi said Dar was invited but did not see the need to attend the meeting called by the East African Community (EAC) chairman President Paul Kagame of Rwanda.

“That is why in 2013, former president Jakaya Kikwete took an unprecedented move when he addressed Tanzania’s parliament to explain the country’s disappointment with our neighbours from the Northern Corridor who decided to hold separate meetings,” said Prof Kabudi, referring to the period when the EAC was openly divided between the Coalition of the Willing (CoW), Northern Corridor countries and the Central Corridor states.

The EAC protocol requires that all presidents attend the Heads of State Summit, but President Kagame has suggested that they hold meetings even if only two leaders are present to discuss common measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

The Consultative Meeting of the EAC Heads of State on Regional Response to Covid-19 the Free Movement of Goods was convened following the recommendations of a joint consultative meeting of Partner States’ Ministers and Cabinet Secretaries responsible for Health, Trade, Transport and EAC Affairs via a video conference held on May 8, to discuss a regional approach to dealing with the pandemic.