The East African Community has admitted Somalia as its eighth member on Friday, November 24, 2023, just over a year after the Democratic Republic of Congo joined the group.
Following fruitful negotiations that lasted nearly a year, Mogadishu’s admission into the bloc was approved by the leaders of the region during the 23rd ordinary summit of the heads of state, which was held in Arusha, Tanzania, on the same day.
Following the protracted meeting behind closed doors that lasted more than five hours,Somalia’s formal admission into the bloc was agreed upon, according to outgoing chairperson Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi.
Somalia previously showed an interest in joining the EAC in 2012, but this application was turned down. Both applications have been initiated by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who assumed office for the second time in May 2022 as the 10th president after serving as the 8th president of the country previously.
Following talks between Somali and EAC officials in August, a report was prepared and sent to the council of ministers for review prior to being sent to this Friday’s heads of state summit.
As part of the EAC’s expansion plan to include the entire Horn of Africa, possibly including Ethiopia and Sudan, Somalia’s entry will now make room for the admission of its neighbors, Eritrea and Djibouti.