Establishment of the Secretariat
The Secretariat shall be the executive organ of the Community.

There shall be the following offices in the service of the Community:

- Secretary General;

- Deputy Secretaries General;

- Counsel to the Community;

and such other offices as may be deemed necessary by the Council.

Secretary General
The Secretary General shall be appointed by the Summit upon nomination by the relevant Head of State under the principle of rotation.

Upon the appointment of the Secretary General the Partner State from which he or she is appointed shall forfeit the post of Deputy Secretary General.

The Secretary General shall be the principal executive officer of the Community and shall: be the head of the Secretariat; be the Accounting Officer of the Community; be the Secretary of the Summit; and carry out such other duties as are conferred upon him by the Treaty or by the Council from time to time.

The Secretary General shall serve a fixed five year term.

The terms and conditions of service of the Secretary General shall be determined by the Council and approved by the Summit.

The Secretariat shall be responsible for:

1. initiating, receiving and submitting recommendations to the Council, and forwarding of Bills to the Assembly through the Co-ordination Committee;
2. the initiation of studies and research related to, and the implementation of, programmes for the most appropriate, expeditious and efficient ways of achieving the objectives of the Community;
3. the strategic planning, management and monitoring of programmes for the development of the Community;
4. the undertaking either on its own initiative or otherwise, of such investigations, collection of information, or verification of matters relating to any matter affecting the Community that appears to it to merit examination;
5. the co-ordination and harmonisation of the policies and strategies relating to the development of the Community through the Co-ordination Committee;
6. the general promotion and dissemination of information on the Community to the stakeholders, the general public and the international community;
7. the submission of reports on the activities of the Community to the Council through the Co-ordination Committee;
8. the general administration and financial management of the Community;
9. the mobilisation of funds from development partners and other sources for the implementation of projects of the Community;
10. subject to the provisions of the Treaty, the submission of the budget of the Community to the Council for its consideration;
11. proposing draft agenda for the meetings of the organs of the Community other than the Court and the Assembly;
12. the implementation of the decisions of the Summit and the Council;
13. the organisation and the keeping of records of meetings of the institutions of the Community other than those of the Court and the Assembly;
14. the custody of the property of the Community;
15. the establishment of practical working relations with the Court and the Assembly; and
16. such other matters that may be provided for under the Treaty.