The East African Community is an intergovernmental institutions government by the Treaty of Establishment of the EAC.  The Treaty was signed by the three (3) original Partner States of the Community, namely, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda on 30^th of November, 1999 in Arusha, Tanzania. 

The Treaty entered into force on 7 July 2000 following the conclusion of the process of its ratification and deposit of the Instruments of Ratification with the Secretary-General by all the three Partner States.

The Objective of the Treaty are outlined in Article 5 (Objectives) which states that:

• “[the EAC members are]…determined to strengthen their economic, social, cultural, political, technological, and other ties for the fast, balanced and sustainable development by the establishment of an East African Community, with an East African Customs Union, and a Common Market as transitional stages to and integral parts thereof, subsequently a Monetary Union and ultimately a political federation.”

The goals of the current EAC not limited to the economic sphere. EAC Treaty, integration includes development of:

• “policies and programmes aimed at widening and deepening cooperation among the Partner States in political, economic, social and cultural fields, research and technology, defense, security and legal and judicial affairs, for their mutual benefit”.

In order to advance regional integration and cooperation in the above-mentioned areas the EAC has created a regional legal framework which is developed by the EAC Summit of Heads of State and the East African Legislative Assembly and overseen by the East Africa Court of Justice.