Somali to formally cement its EAC membership with Treaty ratification in Tanzania

 

Somalia President Sheikh Mohamud is today expected to deposit the country’s instrument of ratification on the accession of the treaty to the EAC marking the final stage towards becoming a full member.

The ceremony will be held in Tanzania.

Somali’s accession process began in on December 16, 2023, with the signing of the Treaty in Uganda in an occasion witnessed by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

EAC secretary general Peter Mathuki and EAC Heads of State and South Sudan President Salva Kiir were present during the event.

The Summit of the EAC Heads of State at their 23rd ordinary meeting held in Arusha, Tanzania on November 24, considered the Report of the EAC Council of Ministers on the Negotiations with the Federal Republic of Somalia into the EAC.

They resolved to admit Somalia as a full member of the Community making it the 8th member of the regional bloc.

The endorsement of Somalia’s application by the EAC Summit of Heads of State on November 24 paved the way for its accession into the community.

The Summit further designated Kiir to agree with Somalia on when to sign the Treaty of Accession of Somalia into the Community. 

It further directed that within six months after the signing of the Treaty of Accession, Somalia shall be required to deposit the instrument of ratification with the secretary general.  

The Heads of State also directed the EAC Council of Ministers to develop a roadmap for the integration of Somalia into the Community and report progress to the next meeting of the Summit.  

Other Partner States in Africa’s fastest-integrating bloc are Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. 

Somalia’s journey towards EAC membership began in July 2022 when it expressed its interest in joining the bloc.

It has been pushing for its inclusion in the bloc following the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2022.

Mohamud’s high-level visit to the EAC headquarters at the time marked the formal launch of Somalia’s bid and aimed to garner support from Member States.

EAC adopted a verification report seeking to admit Somalia into the regional bloc in June, a move that gave a ray of hope to the war-stricken country.

The report was tabled during the 21st extraordinary Heads of State summit held in Burundi on Wednesday and chaired by President Evariste Ndayishimiye.

During the meeting, it was resolved that a report be tabled during the next ordinary meeting later this year where a final verdict will be issued.

“EAC heads of state deliberated and adopted the report and directed the EAC Secretariat and Council to commence negotiations with Somalia immediately and report to the next Ordinary Summit,” a communiqué signed by all the member states reads.

In July 2022, Sheikh attended the 22nd Ordinary East Africa Community Heads of State Summit where he made another bid to join EAC.

“I am here to make a formal bid for Somalia to join the East African Community,” Mohamud said. 

by FELIX KIPKEMOI