Examination of Security Challenges in the East African Community (EAC) Region

Abstract

It is well settled worldwide that the most basic purpose of the state is to make people safe or feel safe within their  secured state thereby gaining  confidence, reassurance, and predictability of life. Partner states in the  East African  Community (EAC) strive to individually and collectively ensure that the security and development of the region and its  people is  guaranteed. This paper seeks to critically examine the security challenges in  the EAC region, which range  from resource – based conflicts, climate change, and organised crimes to maritime security. Data was collected through documentary review. It is concluded that much as the EAC region faces security challenges, efforts are made to address them. However, given the dynamic nature of those challenges, the efforts seem to be inadequate.The author recommends the establishment of a specific organ dedicated tosecurity, having regional strategic engagement to tap the marine resources, strengthening regional security initiatives, enhancing the implementation of the legal regime to address the security challenges, the need for regional multijurisdictional taskforces and joint operations and spearheading implementation of regional and international security strategies.