NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 21 — Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was expected in Arusha, Tanzania, on Thursday for a high-level visit to the East African Community (EAC) headquarters.
Villa Somalia, the official residence of Somalia’s Head of State, said Sheikh Mohamud would be seeking support to join the regional bloc.
“President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is leaving tomorrow (Thursday) for Arusha in Tanzania to seek support for 🇸🇴 to join the East African Community (EAC), which if possible will benefit the Somali people,” Villa Somalia announced on Wednesday.
Mohamud’s visit will coincide with a High-Level Retreat by EAC Heads of State to review the region’s common market protocol.
The EAC, originally established as a 3-Member bloc of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in November 1999, has since expanded its membership to seven countries the latest addition being the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rwanda and Burundi joined the bloc in 2007 while South Sudan became a member in 2016.
Somalia’s accession to the EAC could take up to two years with a Summit of the bloc’s Heads of State set to consider admission upon satisfying all the conditions under Articles 3 and 4 of the Treaty for the establishment of the EAC.
Under Article 3 which spells up the membership of the community sets the admission criteria to include an applicant’s: acceptance of the Community as set out in this Treaty and adherence to universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice.
Other requirements include 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.
Although Kenya, the chief crusader of successful bids to join EAC by DRC and South Sudan in the past, is yet to comment on Somalia’s intention to join the region, analyst say Nairobi would back Mogadishu’s bid.
“Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania all said favourable, keen to get Somalia into the EAC,” Rashid Abdi, an analyst on Horn of Africa and the Gulf, said.
Abdi termed the move as significant as it would signal a major geopolitical realignment given strained relations between Mogadishu and Nairobi, a key player in the region.
President Mohamud’s bid to join the EAC comes just a week after the newly-elected leaders made an official visit to Kenya.
Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on July 15 Mohamud agreed to a raft of measures with his host President Uhuru Kenyatta, as initial steps towards revitalization of relations between the two countries.
Kenya and Somalia agreed to convene Joint Commission for Co-operation (JCC) talks in Mogadishu after the leaders of the two nations ordered the immediate reopening of the Kenya-Somalia border.
The JCC talks to be headed by foreign affairs officials of respective countries in August will seek to revitalize cooperation between the two countries whose relations had strained in recent years over disagreements on several issues including the status of Somaliland, a de facto state in the Horn of Africa seeking international recognition as an independent nation.
The talks will cover joint security activities, defense, agriculture, trade, intelligence exchange, health, education, training in various fields, and continuous review of the visa regime, a joint communique signed by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Amb Macharia Kamua and his Somali counterpart Amb Mohamed Ali — Nur Hagi, indicated.
As part of the roadmap to revive cooperation, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somalian counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also agreed on the resumption of Kenya Airways flights to Mogadishu under an existing bilateral framework pending review.
“The two Presidents further agreed that the Kenya Airways (KQ) scheduled flights to Mogadishu will resume immediately based on the existing Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA). The BASA will be reviewed by the relevant Authorities,” the communique noted.
The two leaders noted the resumption of flights together with the opening of borders will “ease the movement of people and enhance trade in goods and services.”
The meeting at State House Nairobi further gave a greenlight for immediate market access for fish products from Somalia with Mogadishu reciprocating with resumption of Miraa trade.
Kenya and Somalia also agreed on a framework that will facilitate the issuance of Courtesy Visas free of charge on arrival with holders of diplomatic passports required to complete online applications backed by a Norte Verbale.
“For holders of Somali Service Passports, Courtesy Visas free of charge/gratis on arrival will be issued within Forty – Eight (48) hours, after completion of Online Visa Application accompanied by a Note Verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,” the communique noted.
Kenyatta and Sheikh Mohamud also agreed on expeditious processing of visas for ordinary passport holders “preferably within ten (10) working days.”
