By Brian Okoth
Somalia’s application to join the East African Community (EAC) gained impetus on Wednesday when regional leaders directed the secretariat to engage the Horn of Africa nation over its request.
The region’s heads of state adopted a report to verify Somalia’s application to join the EAC. The leaders met on Wednesday in Bujumbura, Burundi.
The secretariat, which is EAC’s executive organ, has been directed to engage Somalia “with immediate effect”.
The secretariat and the council of ministers, which is EAC’s main decision-making organ, will report to the next extraordinary summit of the heads of state on whether to accept or reject Somalia’s request.
Somalia welcomed the EAC’s decision to consider its application, terming it a major milestone.
Somalia’s Presidential Special Envoy to the EAC, Abdusalam Omer, told Rwanda’s New Times that he was optimistic that their application will be accepted.
“I am sure the negotiations will be successful. Somalia will be a great addition to our brothers and sisters of EAC,” he said.
Somalia submitted its application to join the EAC in February 2012.
The EAC, which is headquartered in Arusha, Tanzania, currently has seven member countries. They are Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.
The EAC is currently home to an estimated 283.7 million citizens, of which more than 30 per cent is urban population.
