Africa

PM Barre wants Somalia's integration with the EAC Market expedited

Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre (centre) meets with regional legislators from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in Mogadishu on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Photo: OPM Somalia)

By Mwangi Maina | Monday, April 22, 2024

Somalia also boasts the longest coastline of over 3,000km in Africa, linking the continent to the Arab Peninsula.

Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre met with regional legislators from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in Mogadishu on Sunday to address the final technicalities needed to facilitate his country’s engagement with the East African Community (EAC) market.

Barre presented Somalia's potential contributions to the regional bloc and highlighted the benefits member countries are poised to enjoy after Somalia joined EAC.

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"I urge the members of the EAC regional bloc to continue supporting efforts to harmonise policies and regulations, creating a conducive business environment for investors and entrepreneurs,” PM Hamza stated.

“Let us further bolster cooperation in regional security and the advancement of peace and stability," he added in a message posted on his X platform

Hamza emphasised his country's abundant natural resources and the people's dynamic and creative nature as two of the key contributions of Somalia.

Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre hosts EALA MPs in Mogadishu on Sunday, April 21, 2024. (Photo: OPM Somalia)

The Horn of Africa country also boasts the longest coastline of over 3,000km in Africa, linking the continent to the Arab Peninsula.

Somalia was admitted into the bloc by the summit of regional leaders in November last year and became a full member in March this year after depositing an instrument of ratification of the Treaty of Accession at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The country’s administration is expected to implement the EAC's four pillars, the Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union, and Political Federation, and designate a minister to coordinate EAC matters as the treaty requires.

Somalia will also elect nine members of parliament to the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) and appoint a judge to sit in the First Instance Division of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ).

The country, which became the eighth member of the EAC, joined Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Rwanda.