Somalia set to be admitted as 8th member of the East African Community
The Federal Republic of Somalia is set to be admitted to the East African Community as the newest member.
This follows the outcome of a team of technical experts from EAC sent to Somalia early this year to verify and assess the preparedness of Somalia to join the regional bloc as the 8th Member.
EAC Secretary General Peter Mutuku Malthuki told a member states consultative meeting in Nairobi today that his visit to Federal Republic of Somali president in October 2022 yielded good results, informed the deliberations on its admission process.
“It is my honour and pleasure to welcome you to this important milestone in the admission process of the Federal Republic of Somalia into the East African Community. In October 2022, following the directive of the 22nd Summit of EAC Heads of State, I visited His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia to appraise him on the procedures of admission into the East African Community.” Mathuki said.
The Report of the EAC Verification Team, according to Mathuki, confirmed that the Federal Republic of Somalia already has social, economic, cultural and geographical ties with the partner states and enjoys good working relations with them.
The verification team also confirmed that the Federal Republic of Somalia meets the basic requirements of the Treaty, for admission of foreign countries into the East African Community.
“During the negotiations this week, the EAC team will highlight to the Somali delegation, benefits, obligations and commitments of Partner States under the Treaty which will be the basis for the negotiations in good faith by both teams. The negotiations will also provide clarifications to both teams on matters that were identified during the verifications exercise.” The Secretary General told the gathering, which included a delegation from the Federal Republic of Somalia.
Confirming the commitment of the EAC Secretariat to facilitate the negotiations, Mathuki expressed optimistic that at the end of the exercise, they will have a clear report for presentation to the next Summit for consideration.
On her part, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for EAC, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and Regional Development Rebecca Miano, who graced the opening ceremony of the negotiations, said an application made by the Federal Republic of Somalia in 2012 seeking admission to the EAC was considered by the 14th Summit of EAC Heads of State on 30th November 2012 which directed the Council of Ministers to engage the Federal Republic of Somalia and undertake a verification process of the application.
“At the 27th meeting in August 2013, the Council of Ministers established a Verification Committee. However, the engagement with Somalia lost momentum until His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the president of the Federal Republic of Somalia, revived it in 2022.” CS Miano said.
“Prior to that, precisely in July 2022, the 22nd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State upon noting that the verification exercise for the Admission of the Federal Republic of Somalia to the East African Community had not taken place, directed the Council to fast-track the verification exercise. Consequently, and as directed by the Summit, the EAC team concluded the verification of the application of Somalia in February 2023.”
She went on to say that on May 31, 2023, the 22nd Extraordinary Summit directed the Secretariat and the Council to commence negotiations with Somalia in accordance with the directive of the Summit and the relevant legal framework of the Community.
The CS said the negotiations between EAC and Somalia are in line with the EAC’s mission of widening and deepening the integration process, in line with the African Union’s goal of putting in place an African Economic Community by the year 2063.
“To that end, the EAC looks forward to an expanded and vibrant bloc, with high volumes of trade within itself as well as with other blocs. This, primarily, is because we intend to create wealth and prosperity for our people. A big and expanded market that the admission of Somalia will usher in will be a major boost for the private sector, itself a great milestone in the integration process.” Miano said.
Also present were Mohamud Abdirahman Sheikh Farah, Minister of Planning, Federal Republic of Somalia, Abdisalam Sharif, State Minister of Commerce and Industry, Federal Republic of Somalia, Special Envoy of Somalia and Lead Negotiator of the Federal Republic of Somalia Adbusalam Omer, and Tiri Marie Rose, Adviser to Minister of EAC Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Republic of Burundi, who is also chairperson of the EAC negotiating team.
