President Hassan Sheikh is expected to leave for Tanzania for a working visit during which he will meet with President Samia Suluhu.
The president will attend a special meeting of the leaders of the East African Community (EAC) in Tanzania, which comes as Somalia has applied for membership in the bloc.
The trade, investment, and war on Al-Shabaab are expected to dominate the speech of the Somali president at the upcoming EAC summit, according to sources privy to the visit.
After the adoption of the verification report, Somalia is optimistic that its application to join the EAC, which has been pending for more than ten years, will be accepted.
This will be the second trip by President Hassan Sheikh to Tanzania since last year, when he submitted Somalia’s final request to join the EAC during the Arusha meeting held on June 8, 2022.
The Federal Republic of Somalia made its first application to join the EAC in 2012. However, the verification mission was not conducted immediately due to various reasons.
If accepted to join the EAC by the EAC Heads of State Summit, Somalia will be the 8th member of the EAC partner states, joining the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and United Republic of Tanzania.
The EAC is a regional intergovernmental organization composed of six partner states in East Africa, namely, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The organization aims to promote regional integration and economic growth through the establishment of a customs union, a common market, and a monetary union.
Somalia’s application to join the EAC is a significant step towards regional integration and economic development.
It is hoped that the EAC Heads of State will accept Somalia’s application and welcome Somalia as the newest member of the EAC partner states. This will provide an opportunity for Somalia to enhance trade and investment opportunities and strengthen cooperation on security matters with its East African neighbors.
