The East African Community Affairs Directorate is one of the twelve Directorates in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Directorate is responsible for all matters concerning the East African Community. It has the following, mandate, vision, mission and core functions;

Mandate

To ensure effective articulation of Kenya’s Foreign Policy within the East African Community (EAC)

Vision

A diplomatically competitive, peaceful and prosperous EAC

Mission

To advance Kenya’s interests in the EAC and internationally

Core Functions

• Effective representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in EAC Meetings
• Effective articulation of Kenya’s Foreign Policy within the EAC
• Dissemination of information on EAC Projects and Programmes to Kenya’s Missions abroad
• Participation in EAC Peace Initiatives
• Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities
• EAC Common Market Protocol Matters
• EAC Monetary Union Negotiations
• EAC Foreign Policy Coordination
• EAC-EC-EPA Negotiations
• EAC Political Integration
• COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Framework Negotiations

Ongoing Activity

Implementation of the EAC Common Market Protocol

The EAC Common Market Protocol became effective on 1st July, 2010. It was launched in the country by His Excellency the President Hon. Mwai Kibaki on 30th June 2010. During the occasion the President urged Kenyans to take full advantage of the many business and investment opportunities made available. To hasten the implementation process, the Government formed a Taskforce on the EAC Common Market Protocol Legal Reforms on 23rd February, 2010 through Gazette Notice No. 2915. The Taskforce made recommendations on the legal reforms necessary to fully operationalize the protocol. As the implementation deepens, Kenyans will experience enhanced free movement of goods, labour, persons, capital and services in addition to being allowed to establish and reside any where within the East Africa Community. The freedom will stimulate cross-border trade and wealth creation resulting in higher living standards for Kenyans.