Unpaid Bills from South Sudan and Others Risk EAC Stability

(ARUSHA) – The East African Community (EAC) is facing a serious staffing crisis after failing to extend the contracts of temporary workers, with South Sudan’s unpaid contributions among the key factors driving the financial shortfall.

More than 44 percent of the EAC Secretariat workforce was on temporary contracts. These positions were abruptly terminated after the Council of Ministers failed to reach an agreement on renewing them at a meeting in Arusha last week.

Kenya, which currently chairs the council, walked out of the meeting, leaving no decision on recruitment. Kenyan officials argued that the EAC cannot continue to employ temporary workers when several member states, including South Sudan, have not paid their contributions.

Each of the eight partner states is required to contribute 7 million US dollars (about 32.2 billion South Sudanese Pounds at the current official exchange rate of 1 USD = 4,600 SSP). As of June 2025, only Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda had fully paid, leaving Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Somalia in arrears.

The Secretariat has a total of 420 positions, but 152 are already vacant, with another 33 staff expected to leave between March and December 2025 due to retirement or the end of contracts. Many of the staffing gaps are in senior roles such as directors, heads of institutions, and department leads.

Without new funding, critical areas including labour, immigration, energy, industry, gender and youth will be left without staff. The April 2025 Council meeting had ordered ministers to address the staffing situation urgently, but no action was taken in the latest sitting due to disputes over contributions.

South Sudan, which joined the bloc in 2016, has consistently struggled to meet its financial obligations to the EAC. Arrears now stand at around 15 million US dollars, equal to 69 billion SSP. This has added to frustrations within the Secretariat, where unpaid salaries and stalled projects have become common.

EAC Secretary General Veronica Nduva confirmed that staffing decisions would be guided by the Council of Ministers but admitted the budget crisis had slowed recruitment. She said recruitment timelines depend on available resources and reforms currently under discussion.

Critics say South Sudan’s failure to meet its financial obligations undermines regional integration at a time when the bloc faces growing economic and security challenges. Some partner states have also accused others of insisting on placing their nationals in Secretariat roles while limiting access for non citizens in their domestic job markets.

The financial strain has also highlighted broader governance issues within the EAC. Some temporary workers had held their positions for up to ten years, raising concerns about compliance with labour rules. In addition, irregularities in recruitment have created tensions among member states over who benefits most from Secretariat jobs.

For South Sudan, the mounting arrears not only reflect domestic budget difficulties but also risk isolating the country within the regional bloc. While Juba has reaffirmed its commitment to the EAC, its limited capacity to fund regional obligations continues to draw criticism from other members.

The future of the Secretariat now depends on whether South Sudan and other defaulters can settle their debts and whether ministers can agree on a sustainable staffing and funding plan. Without this, the bloc risks weakening its institutions at a time when regional cooperation is needed most.