Somalia officially joins East Africa trade bloc: Analysis

Somalia officially joined the East African Community (EAC) on Friday, becoming the eighth member of the regional bloc. This move aims to promote free trade and expand economic opportunities across the region. With a population of 17 million, Somalia’s admission will increase the EAC market to over 300 million people.

Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, the outgoing chair of the EAC, announced the decision to admit Somalia during a summit in Tanzania. This means that Somalia joins Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda as part of the regional bloc.

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was present at the summit, expressed optimism about the country’s inclusion. His chief economic adviser took to social media to emphasize the historical significance of this achievement, highlighting the potential for a future filled with possibilities and opportunities.

The EAC was established in 2000 and is headquartered in the Tanzanian town of Arusha, where the summit took place. Its primary goal is to promote trade within the region by eliminating customs duties between member states. In 2010, the EAC established a common market to further enhance economic integration.

Prior to Somalia, the most recent addition to the EAC was the Democratic Republic of Congo in April 2022. Including Somalia, the combined land area of the EAC member countries is 4.8 million square kilometers (1.8 million square miles), and their collective GDP is $305 billion. The bloc’s website states that EAC trade in 2022 amounted to $78.75 billion.

However, the admission of Somalia may pose security challenges for the EAC due to the ongoing rebellion by the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group. Somalia has been struggling to suppress this rebellion, and concerns have been raised about the government’s ability to address the 16-year-long conflict. Both Kenya and Uganda, members of the EAC, contribute troops to an African Union force deployed in Somalia to combat al-Shabab.

In addition, the EAC faced security issues in the past when it sent troops to the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo following the resurgence of the M23 rebel group.

The Heritage Institute for Policy Studies, a think tank based in Mogadishu, acknowledged that Somalia’s admission to the EAC is a significant step in the bloc’s expansion across East Africa. However, the Institute also warned that Somalia’s governance issues, human rights concerns, and weak rule of law could impede its smooth integration into the bloc.

Moreover, Somalia has experienced diplomatic tensions with neighboring countries like Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya, which have sometimes strained regional relations. Despite this, Somalia has taken steps in recent years to address these disputes and improve its ties with its neighbors.

In conclusion, Somalia’s admission into the East African Community is a noteworthy development for the region’s economic integration. However, concerns about security challenges, governance issues, and diplomatic relations raise questions about the country’s ability to fully integrate into the bloc. The article provides a factual account of the events but does not delve into deeper analysis or opinions regarding the implications and potential risks associated with Somalia’s membership. It would have been beneficial to include a more comprehensive evaluation of the credibility and biases of the sources cited. This information is crucial for readers to form an objective understanding of the topic and guard against misinformation. Given the prevalence of fake news and the influence of political biases, readers’ perceptions of this article may be influenced by their existing beliefs or the broader political landscape.

Source: Aljazeera news: Somalia officially joins East Africa trade bloc