Title: Somalia’s accession to the Community of East African States: Ongoing negotiations for enhanced cooperation
Introduction: As of August 22, 2023, Somalia has started negotiations to join the East African Community (EAC). If the talks are successful, Somalia will become the eighth member country of this community, alongside Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and the DRC. This membership represents a major opportunity for Somalia, both economically and in terms of security.
Development: Negotiations between Somalia and the EAC aim to verify the compatibility of Somali laws with those of the countries of the region and the EAC treaty. This evaluation concerns different areas, such as trade, institutional, and security. On the economic level, the opening of Somalia to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean offers privileged access to the markets of the Arabian Peninsula for the member countries of the EAC. This will promote trade and economic development in the region.
In terms of security, Somalia’s membership in the EAC will strengthen regional cooperation in the fight against terrorist groups such as Shebab. Currently, several EAC countries are intervening militarily in Somalia to combat these groups, but formal membership would facilitate intelligence sharing and strengthen the coordination of security actions.
Moreover, this accession comes at a time when the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is beginning its gradual withdrawal from the country. It is therefore essential to strengthen regional cooperation to maintain stability and security in Somalia.
Conclusion: Somalia’s accession to the East African Community represents an important step for the country, both economically and in terms of security. Ongoing negotiations aim to ensure the compatibility of Somali laws with EAC standards and to strengthen regional cooperation. If successful, this will open new development prospects for Somalia and contribute to the stability of the region