Somalia has renewed its bid to join the East Africa Community (EAC), days after DRC Congo was admitted to the regional trade bloc.
On Thursday, the country’s newly elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Arusha to attend the ongoing 22nd Ordinary East Africa Community Heads of State Summit, perhaps to review the inclusion bid that started a decade ago.
Mohamud had initiated the bid during his first term between 2012 and 2017 together with DRC but members declined due to war and disorder in the horn of Africa nation.
During the meeting Mohamud said his country is willing and ready to join EAC, adding that they are no longer a liability to the bloc.
“Somalia is stable. We want to join EAC. Our people are everywhere in the region,” said Mohamud.
The inclusion of Somalia in the regional trading bloc will make EAC a plus 100 million population market after the addition of DRC pushed it to 92 million.
The 2020 consensus report puts the horn of Africa country’s population at 16 million.
It is also likely to push the region’s combined GDP above Sh30 trillion, from the current Sh29 trillion after the addition of DRC.
The current 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.
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Those conditions include respect for universal principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and other civil liberties.
SOURCES: Capital business
