ARUSHA, Tanzania – The leaders of the East African Community are gathering in Arusha, Tanzania today to approve Somalia’s application to join the regional bloc.
The president of Somalia Hassan Sheikh is in Arusha, arrived on Thursday to witness the historic vote of admission which will culminate a long journey and struggle by the Horn of Africa nation’s leaders.
Somalia shares a border with Kenya, an EAC member that gives the country a right to join it as the 8th member.
The country has first submitted application in 2012 under current president Hassan Sheikh who renewed the bid after his reelection in May last year.
The EAC member states are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and DR Congo. Somalia will be the 8th member in confirmed today.
The countries become members of the bloc when they meet certain conditions set out in the 1999 Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. Those conditions include respect for universal principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and other civil liberties.
