Somalia’s Application to Access EAC Bloc:

[Deeq A.]

Since March 2012, the Federal Republic of Somalia has been seeking membership in the East African Community (EAC) bloc. The Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) made the first official request for accession. However, in December 2012, the summit - the bloc’s highest body - considered the application and asked the council of ministers to conduct a verification exercise, but admission was delayed in 2015. Another attempt was made in 2019, and again it was declined during the 21st Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State in February 2021, which noted that the verification process for Somalia’s admission to the EAC had not been undertaken. The repeated delay can be attributed to several factors, including political, security, and economic reasons, as well as a lack of backing and support among the bloc’s member states. In particular, the latest decline was primarily political.

Source: Hiiraan Online