EAC under security threats

Arusha. A senior official at the East African Community (EAC) has admitted that the region was faced with a myriad of security threats.

Charles Njoroge deputy secretary general in charge of Political Federation says it was time the partner states addressed the issue.

“It is imperative that special attention be accorded to the competition for resources between security needs and traditional development needs within the human security continuum”, he said here on Monday while opening a dialogue organised by the US-based Africa Centre for Strategic Studies (ACSS).

He stressed that the security threats faced by the region were not only embedded in a more intra-state context but have increasingly defied geographical boundaries.

The deputy SG said the partnership between EAC and ACSS was intended to avail expertise to participants which could provide, “ A template within which they could address security as a development concern in the quest to create a safe and secure region.”

ACSS is a US Department of Defence institution established and funded by the US Congress for the study of security issues relating to Africa.

Mr Njoroge said the Community was proud to be associated with the dialogue which, according to him, is expected to lay a firm foundation for more in-depth assessment at national level on managing security resources.

At least 45 participants, from Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia are taking part in the dialogue.