24-November- 2023

Somalia, which has been seeking to join the regional trade bloc since 2012, becomes its eight member.

East African Community heads of state attend the 23rd Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State in Arusha, Tanzania

Somalia has been admitted as the eighth member of the East African Community on Friday November 24, 2023, just over a year after the latest entrant, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was admitted into the bloc.

Mogadishu’s admission into the bloc was approved by the region’s leaders during the 23rd ordinary summit of the heads of state held in Arusha, Tanzania, on the same day, after successful negotiations that lasted close to a year.

The outgoing chairperson, Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye said the heads of state agreed to formally admit Somalia into the bloc, after the lengthy closed-door meeting which lasted more than five hours.

The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia who participated in the 23rd round of the leaders of the countries that are members of the East African Community (EAC) was welcomed to the EAC membership seat after Somalia's request to join this umbrella was accepted. pic.twitter.com/qCpOdBZvFN

— Elmi Farah Boodhari (@BoodhariFarah) November 24, 2023

We have decided to admit the Federal Republic of Somalia under the treaty of accession,” outgoing EAC chair, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, said at a summit of the grouping in Tanzania.

Somalia – whose President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was at the summit – joined Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda in the regional bloc.

“Let us all embrace this new chapter in our history,” Mohamud’s chief economic adviser said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“This moment is not just a culmination of our aspirations but a beacon of hope for a future full with possibilities and opportunities.”

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The EAC, based in the Tanzanian town of Arusha where the summit was taking place, was founded in 2000 and works to encourage trade by removing customs duties between member states

Read: Somalia could join EAC this month

Somalia first expressed interest in joining the EAC in 2012, but was turned down due to its internal troubles with Al-Shabaab and lack of a stable legal and political environment at the time. 

However, Mogadishu’s hopes of joining the regional bloc were rekindled when equally troubled South Sudan was admitted in 2016, and later DRC, which also has multiple conflicts within its borders, in 2022.