Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza and his South Sudanese counterpart Salva Kiir have missed the East African Community Heads of State Summit being held in the Tanzanian city of Arusha.
President Nkurunziza has sent his first deputy while Kiir sent a special envoy to represent him at the summit.
BBC news agency reports that the leader’s meeting is smeared with open hostilities from various sides, following diplomatic rows.
Burundi’s Presidenr Nkurunziza accuses Rwanda’s Paul Kagame of sponsoring a coup attempt against him in 2015, allegations Kigali has always denied.
Rwanda meanwhile is complaining about alleged abductions, torture and arbitrary deportations of some of its citizens who travel to Uganda.
The official agenda of the summit does not include discussions on hostilities.
The Heads of State summit is expected to focus on regional security, trade and the progress report on the adoption of Political Confederation as a Transitional Model to the East African Political Federation.
The leaders will also discuss the possible admission of Somalia into the bloc.
