Eastleigh

Somalia joins East African Community: A historic leap toward regional unity

Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mahamud.

By Gelle Dheere | Friday, November 24, 2023

ast African Community leaders meeting in the Tanzanian city of Arusha today has endorsed Somalia's membership in the regional body. Somalia now becomes the eighth member of the community.

East African Community leaders meeting in the Tanzanian city of Arusha today has endorsed Somalia's membership in the regional body. Somalia now becomes the eighth member of the community.

This historic decision to admit Somalia, achieved against considerable odds, marks a milestone and a game-changer for the nation and the East African community at large. President Hassan Sheikh Mahamud of Somalia had anticipated this moment and arrived in Arusha for the summit.

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The East Africa Community Flag.

With a 3,000-kilometre coastline, the longest in Africa, Somalia's entry into the EAC will unlock significant inter-regional trading opportunities, connecting the Horn of Africa to the Atlantic Ocean and linking Africa with the Arabian Peninsula, the western Indian Ocean, and extending towards India and China.

Kenya played a crucial role in expediting Somalia's membership application. President Hassan Sheikh Mahamud conveyed Somalia's priority to join the regional bloc to then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, who, as the Chairman of the EAC Heads of State, personally championed Somalia's cause. This effort led to the EAC Executive Director, Dr. Peter Mathuki to revive Somalia's stalled application and actively engage with member states.

Ironically, Kenya's previous opposition had hindered Somalia's membership attempts. However, with Kenya's support, Somalia's application gained momentum, given the historical, linguistic, economic, and socio-cultural links between the two nations.

On 25 January 2023, the EAC initiated a verification exercise to assess Somalia's conformity with the regional bloc's membership criteria. This process was expedited, and on 6 June 2023, at the summit in Bujumbura, the leaders adopted the verification report, marking a crucial step in Somalia's application.

Beyond past security concerns and strained relations, recent evidence suggests a positive shift in Kenya's perspective towards Somalia. This change reflects Kenya's recognition of the benefits of a stable and peaceful Somalia.

Recent years have seen Somalia make substantial progress in rebuilding national institutions, stabilizing the economy, and addressing security challenges. With a common border and a population of over 3 million Somalis, Kenya stands to gain significantly from Somalia's accession to the EAC, including the potential acceleration of reopening border entry points closed for over a decade due to security reasons.

Somalia's aspiration to become an EAC member predates the memberships of South Sudan and the DRC. The initial application in 2012 faced obstacles, including security challenges from a protracted civil war and Kenya's concerns rooted in a colonial-era issue related to the Northern Frontier District (NFD).

The East African Treaty, effective since 7th July 2000, with Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania as founding members, has evolved. Burundi and Rwanda joined in 2007, South Sudan in 2016, and the DRC in 2022. The EAC, now one of the fastest-growing regional economic blocs globally, boasts a population of around 300 million, covering 4.8 million square kilometres, with a GDP of 305.3 billion dollars.