Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is attending the East African Community (EAC) leaders meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, where decisions on the Somali government’s request to join the regional bloc are expected.
President Mohamud, who arrived in Arusha on Thursday, will hold sideline meetings with regional leaders to discuss the hard work and dynamism of the Somali people, as well as the economic opportunities and resources of the country.
Addressing a press conference in Arusha, Tanzania, last August, East African Community (EAC) Secretary-General Peter Mathuki emphasized that Somalia has taken a critical step towards becoming the eighth member of the bloc.
Somalia applied to join the Community in 2012, and the EAC launched a verification mission on January 25, 2023, to assess its readiness. The EAC Heads of State in Bujumbura adopted the verification team’s report on June 6, 2023, paving the way for the Council of Ministers and the EAC Secretariat to commence negotiations with Mogadishu.
Somalia’s inclusion in this esteemed regional body is anticipated to bring forth a range of advantages in diplomacy, social integration, communication, trade, economy, and education, among other areas.
