Kenya and Rwanda have invited an independent South Sudan to the East African Community.
President Kibaki and his Rwandan counterpart, Mr Paul Kagame, hailed the peaceful independence referendum and said South Sudan was welcome to join the trading bloc, whose other members are Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi.
South Sudan has major oil deposits and would require massive reconstruction when independence is finally declared.
The two leaders also sought to downplay the tug-of-war between Nairobi and Kigali over the nomination of the next EAC secretary-general.
Clear procedures
They noted that there were clear procedures to be followed in the appointment of persons to the EAC secretariat, pointing out that talk of disagreement on the issue was a creation of the media.
Whereas Kenya has been claiming the right to the post, President Kagame has maintained that the rotational post should now go to either Rwanda or Burundi.
The two leaders also assured all East Africans that their countries were committed to the full integration of the region.
They also asked the public service sectors of both countries to enter into a partnership to help in exchange of information and training.
President Kagame, who was on a one-day visit to the country, was the chief guest at United States International University (Usiu)’s 40th graduation ceremony.