Paul Kagame and Félix Tshisekedi Skip East African Community Summit in Arusha as Regional Leaders Meet

Presidents Paul Kagame and Félix Tshisekedi were absent from the 25th Ordinary Summit of the East African Community held in Arusha, drawing attention to growing diplomatic tensions within the regional bloc.

The summit, chaired by William Ruto and hosted by Samia Suluhu Hassan, was expected to address key regional issues including trade barriers, funding gaps and security challenges. However, the absence of the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo overshadowed the meeting.

Veronica Nduva said the leaders were unable to attend due to domestic commitments, with Rwanda sending its prime minister and the DRC represented by government ministers. Salva Kiir also missed the summit due to internal challenges.

Analysts, however, link the absences to escalating tensions over the conflict in eastern Congo involving the M23 rebel group. The crisis has displaced hundreds of thousands and strained relations between Kigali and Kinshasa.

The situation intensified after the United States Department of State imposed visa restrictions on senior Rwandan officials over alleged support for the rebels, an accusation Rwanda denies.

Amid the growing crisis, the EAC is seeking support from the African Union to revive stalled peace initiatives, including the Nairobi Peace Process led by former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, as leaders warn that continued instability threatens regional integration and economic development.