Federal Republic of Somalia has officially joined the East African Community (EAC).
The EAC said Somalia became a full member on Monday, March 4 after depositing her Instrument of Ratification with the Secretary General of the EAC at its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
In a statement before the official announcement, EAC said Somalia was set to become the eighth member of the community.
“A high-level delegation led by Somalia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi, is in Arusha, Tanzania to deposit the instrument with EAC Secretary General, Dr Peter Mathuki at the EAC Headquarters,” read the statement in part.
Somalia’s President Sheikh Hassan Mohamud and the Chairperson of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, Salva Kiir Mayardit, who is also the President of South Sudan signed the Treaty of Accession in Uganda on December 15, 2023.
The occasion was witnessed by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
EAC Admission Procedure
Dr Mathuki was expected to pronounce the Federal Republic of Somalia as a new member of the Community in line with the EAC Admission Procedure for new members.
According to Article 153(1) of the EAC treaty, the Secretary General will subsequently inform Somalia in writing that the new member has deposited the Instrument of Ratification of the Treaty of Accession and is a full member of the Community.
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“The Secretary General will then deposit the Treaty of Accession with the African Union and the United Nations expressing the new members commitment to be bound by the Treaty [Article 153(2) of the Treaty],” read another part of the statement.
The other seven (7) Partner States are the Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.
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Somalia Admission
The EAC Summit of Heads of State admitted Somalia into the East African Community on November 24, 2023.
Subsequently, Somalia signed the Treaty of Accession to the EAC Treaty on December 15, 2023.
Furthermore, EAC is widening and deepening co-operation among Partner States in various key spheres including political, economic and social for their mutual benefit.
