Ruto in Egypt as EAC leaders meeting on DRC crisis falls through

President William Ruto has left for a two-day State visit to Egypt.

He was received on Wednesday morning by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi with full military honours.

According to Ruto’s press team, he is on an official assignment to discuss diplomatic, trade, and investment relations. The two leaders will also sign several agreements and address a press conference.

Ruto is joining Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who arrived on Monday ahead of signing eight Memoranda of Understanding with Egypt.

Ruto had postponed the visit in June last year following demonstrations in the country.

While in Cairo, Ruto will attend talks on the security situation in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Sudan.

Back home, the 48-hour deadline Ruto set for East African Community (EAC) members is ticking. 

As EAC chair, he promised an emergency summit to address the escalating crisis in DRC.

“After consulting with the heads of state of EAC member states, we will convene an extraordinary summit in the next 48 hours to chart the way forward,” a statement released on Sunday read.

The urgency came after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized Goma, a strategic city in eastern DRC, following a swift offensive.

Ruto and El-Sisi are also expected to discuss Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the African Union Commission chairperson.