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Somalia Seeking To Join The East African Community

by Ndungu Brian
written by Ndungu Brian

Somalia has renewed its interest in joining the East African Community (EAC), cementing the desire of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to stabilize ties with the neighboring countries.

President Mohamud was expected in Arusha on Thursday as a special guest to attend the 21st Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State. And Villa Somalia, his official residence, said his trip would also be about renewing his push to join the regional bloc.

“President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is leaving tomorrow (Thursday) for Arusha in Tanzania to seek support for to join the East African Community (EAC), which if possible will benefit the Somali people,” his office said.

Mr. Mohamud had attempted to join the EAC in his first term between 2012 and 2017, but the bloc initially refused the application, citing sporadic conflict and weak institutions in Somalia. But Mogadishu got back its hope after an equally troubled South Sudan was admitted in 2016.

In 2019, then President Mohamed Farmaajo reapplied alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last February, the bloc decided to begin admitting Kinshasa but delayed a decision on Mogadishu, pending verification by a team of experts to determine Somalia’s readiness.

“The summit noted that the verification exercise for the admission of the Federal Republic of Somalia into the East Africa Community had not been undertaken and directed the Council to follow up on the exercise,” the EAC said after a summit last year.

Read: DR Congo becomes a full-fledged member of EAC

If the bloc begins to verify Somalia’s status, Mogadishu may not be admitted at least until a year later, going by the previous admission procedures.

The EAC partner states are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and DR Congo. The countries become members of the bloc when they meet certain conditions set out in the 1999 Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. Those conditions include respect for universal principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and other civil liberties.

Read also: IMF approves Ksh 28 billion loan to Kenya

Some of the latest entrants, however, have been weak on these fronts, and officials have argued that they were admitted to influence them towards better governance instead of leaving them dead.

Somalia is already a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), a trading bloc of 21 countries in north, east, central and southern Africa, which includes most of the EAC members today.

With its long coastline, Somalia could provide added access to the sea, and Somalis could benefit from free movement within the bloc as opposed to the situation where they need a visa today. However, Somalia’s security problems, including a resurgent Al-Shabaab, means the bloc could also be taking in a common problem.

This development comes barely days after The Democratic Republic of Congo was officially admitted into the East African Community depositing the instruments of ratification allowing it to have full rights and privileges like any EAC member, to participate in EAC’s programs and activities and affirm to meet the obligations of the EAC.

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