From 2012 when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud applied for the then five-member East African Community (EAC), it was seen as a long shot. Indeed, analyst laughed off the application saying that Somalia did not stand a chance given the many challenges the country was facing.
In 2016, the EAC that was considering the two applications of Somalia and South Sudan accepted the latter but rejected Mogadishu’s application on grounds of serious insecurity, political instability and lack of democratic institution.
Somalia applied again in 2019 under President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed “Farmajo”. This was due to the fact that South Sudan was admitted in 2016 without meeting all the preconditions. But it is the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—that is whacked by conflict—that gave Somalia the courage that the country stands a chance.
In June, the East African Community Heads of State Summit held in Bujumbura, Burundi adopted the Report of the Verification of the application of Somalia. The report was a product of the verification mission launched in January 2023 to evaluate Somalia’s preparedness for Community membership.
The verification team, which was made up of experts from the EAC Partner States, set out to determine how closely the nation adhered to the requirements outlined in the EAC Treaty for foreign admission. So, when the EAC heads of state met in Arusha, Tanzania on November 24 to consider Somalia’s accession, it was a forgone conclusion that Somalia would be the 8th member of the regional trade bloc, binging together a market for over 300 million.
- What are the benefits of Somalia joining EAC?
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said joining the regional trade bloc was a “beacon of hope” for Somalia. “Somalia belongs to East Africa. We are people who share one destiny,” president Mohamud told the press after accession, adding that Somalia is blessed with untapped resources of oil and gas plus vast arable lands.
Citizens of Somalia are going to benefit from visa-free movement within the EAC member states, enhanced trade within the region, and common approach by EAC to Somalia’s security challenges. It will now be the duty of EAC partner states to ensure that Somalia is pacified without relying on the United Nations. Somalia citizens can now work and open more businesses in the region, especially in Tanzania which has been very strict on investments by Somalis.
In brief, the Potential benefits of Somalia joining the East African Community (EAC) could include:
Trade Opportunities:
Access to a larger market: Joining the EAC would provide Somalia with access to a larger and more diverse market for its goods and services, potentially boosting trade and economic growth.
Preferential trade agreements: Somalia could benefit from preferential trade agreements within the EAC, leading to reduced tariffs and trade barriers with member states.
Investment and Economic Growth: Increased foreign direct investment: Membership in the EAC could attract more foreign direct investment as investors may see opportunities in a larger and more integrated regional market.
Economic diversification: Somalia could benefit from economic diversification by tapping into different sectors and industries within the EAC.
Infrastructure Development: Regional infrastructure projects: Participation in the EAC could lead to collaborative efforts on regional infrastructure projects, such as roads, railways, and energy initiatives, which can contribute to economic development.
Knowledge and Technology Transfer and Exchange: Somalia could benefit from the sharing of knowledge and best practices in various fields, including technology, agriculture, and healthcare, among others.
Social and Cultural Integration: Membership in the EAC may foster social and cultural integration, promoting people-to-people connections and understanding among member states.
- Why was Somalia accepted without meeting all the terms and conditions?
Once the EAC slackened their conditions by accepting Rwanda and Burundi in 2007, South Sudan in 2016 and DRC in 2022—without meeting all conditions—it was going to be difficult to deny Somalia the membership.
The reasons given for admitting these three members was that they would benefit from common good practices and find a shoulder to lean on in case of trouble. But South Sudan, DRC and Burundi are yet to transform significantly despite EAC membership.
The conditions for EAC membership include; adherence to universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice; potential contribution to the strengthening of integration within the East African region; geographical proximity to and inter-dependence between it and the Partner States; establishment and maintenance of a market driven economy; and social and economic policies being compatible with those of the Community.
- Then what are the benefits of other EAC partner states by admitting Somalia?
Somalia is coming with a 3,000km coastline—the longest in Africa—that brings direct access to the Arabian Peninsula. This region is a key entry point of trade between East Africa and the Middle East.
Somalia’s membership to the EAC has also opened the doors for neighbouring Ethiopia and Djibouti to join the EAC if they so wish.
- What are the challenges?
There ae a number of challenges to both other EAC member states and Somalia, since many analysts believe that Somalia was not yet ripe to join the regional economic bloc.
The biggest challenge the EAC countries is to bring about political stabilityto Somalia.
Joining the EAC would likely require a stable political environment, and concerns about internal stability may affect the decision-making process. It will be up to EAC partner states to own the insecurity and political instability in Somalia and push to pacify the country without looking up to the outside world.
There are dangers of increased insecurity in the immediate neigbhours such as Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia, as Al Shabaab is likely to take advantage of the free movement to populate the region with small arms and light weapons.
Challenges for Somalia include:
Economic Readjustments: Integration into the EAC involves aligning economic policies and regulatory frameworks with those of existing member states. This process can be complex and will require significant adjustments in various sectors of the economy.
Infrastructure Development: Any integration involves collaboration on regional infrastructure projects. Somalia will need to address infrastructure challenges to participate fully in such initiatives.
Trade Imbalances: Somalia’s economy will face challenges related to trade imbalances and competition with more developed economies within the EAC, such as Kenya and Ethiopia.
Resource Constraints: Somalia will face resource constraints in terms of financial resources and technical expertise needed to navigate the complexities of joining and participating in the EAC.
Public Awareness and Support: Ensuring that the public is aware of the benefits and implications of joining the EAC is crucial. Public support can play a significant role in the success of integration efforts.
