EAC verification mission to assess Somalia’s readiness for membership
The East African Community (EAC) has launched a verification mission to assess Somalia’s readiness to join the bloc.
The team of experts, comprising representatives from EAC partner states, will be in the country from January 25 to February 3, 2023, to establish its level of conformity with the criteria for admitting foreign countries as outlined in the EAC treaty.
EAC Secretary General Hon. Dr. Peter Mathuki said that the technical team will engage with Somalia to ensure that the verification is completed and a report is ready for presentation to the EAC Council of Ministers, who will then table it for consideration by the 23rd Summit of EAC Heads of State in February 2023.
The team will assess Somalia’s development strategies and plans in key areas of collaboration, including infrastructure, energy, education, peace and security, and international cooperation.
Additionally, the team will review the status of Somalia in international law and establish its readiness to join the EAC Customs Union, Common Market Protocol, Monetary Union and ongoing political confederation Constitutional Framework.
Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Abshir Omar, expressed enthusiasm for the team and said that Somalia will greatly benefit from free movement of people and goods if it fully joins the EAC.
The EAC verification mission is being chaired by Mrs. Tiri Marie Rose from the Republic of Burundi. Somalia first applied to join the EAC in 2012, however, the process has been pending due to various reasons.
The 22nd Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State observed that the verification exercise for the admission of the Federal Republic of Somalia into the Community had not been undertaken and directed the Council to expeditiously fast-track the process and report to the 23rd Ordinary Meeting of the Summit.
