IDLO has signed a memorandum of understanding with the East African Community (EAC), an intergovernmental organization composed of six countries in eastern Africa – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
The agreement focuses on increasing cooperation between the two organizations around judicial capacity building within the EAC, with a view to improving the overall quality of judicial education in the region.
Romualdo Mavedzenge, IDLO’s Regional Manager for New Initiatives in Africa, welcomed the increased cooperation: “This partnership provides a platform for greater engagement on rule of law-related issues in Africa, particularly Aspiration 3 of Agenda 2063 and Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda.”
Its signing follows several months of active collaboration. IDLO helped convene a meeting of the East Africa Chief Justices Forum, during which Chief Justices from East Africa came together to discuss the role of judiciaries in promoting regional integration and facilitating stronger access to justice.
It also falls within IDLO’s Africa Initiative, launched in 2016, which seeks to foster the rule of law and development by supporting regional networks and partnerships.