Somalia is officially a full member of the East African Community, having submitted ratification of the accession treaty to the bloc’s Secretary-General on Monday in Arusha, Tanzania. The country was allowed into the bloc in 2023. On November 24th, Somalia joined the bloc as its eighth member.
During an event at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, Somalia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi, delivered the instrument of ratification to the bloc’s Secretary-General, Peter Mathuki.
“Today’s occasion of Somalia depositing the instruments of the ratification with the Secretary-General, will enable Somalia to kick off the process of joining EAC’s areas of cooperation,” said the Secretary-General of the EAC.
Dr. Mathuki mentions commerce, investment, industrial expansion, and the free movement of people, labor, and services as areas of collaboration.
The EAC Secretariat-General has approved Somalia’s participation in developing a roadmap for its integration into the organization.
The plan will define how its newest member, Somalia, aims to implement the East African Community’s four pillars: Common Market, Monetary Union, Political Federation, and Customs Union.
“We will in the course of the upcoming weeks be bringing Somalia up to speed on the state of the EAC integration process, in all the pillars of regional integration,” he said.
Somalia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry made the following statement: “We recognize the importance of adding value to the Community, enhancing collaboration with our neighbors and promoting regional economic and social development through increased trade, bilateral agreements and joint programs and projects.”
Following the regional event, the 23rd ordinary summit of the heads of state held in Arusha, Tanzania, Somalia was granted membership in the bloc in November 2023 after a year of examination by the other heads of state.
Somalia joined Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and South Sudan as members of the exclusive East African bloc.
Somalia’s entrance to the EU comes only a year after the DRC’s, demonstrating the organization’s determination to developing regional connections.