The East African Community (EAC) formally commenced the verification mission to assess the readiness of the Federal Republic of Somalia to join the regional grouping on Wednesday.
The EAC Partner States’ verification team will be in Somalia from January 25 to February 3, 2023.
The team will, among other things, determine the country’s level of compliance with the requirements for admitting foreign countries outlined in the Treaty Establishing the EAC.
During the official launch, EAC Secretary-General Peter Mathuki stated that the technical team in Mogadishu will work with Somalia to ensure that the verification is completed and a report is ready for presentation to the EAC Council of Ministers, who will table it for consideration by the 23rd Summit of EAC Heads of State, which is scheduled for the end of February.
“The verification team is prepared to make conclusions related to the institutional frameworks in existence, legal frameworks, policies, strategies, initiatives and programs, areas of collaboration with other EAC partner nations, and membership expectations,” he stated.
Assess development strategies
The team will evaluate Somalia’s development strategies and goals in important areas such as infrastructure, energy, education and science, peace and security, and international cooperation.
“Somalia has the longest national coastline in Africa, stretching over 3,000 kilometers and connecting Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, which the region will use to boost intra-regional trade,” said Dr. Mathuki.
The team will also examine Somalia’s legal situation and determine whether the country is ready to join the EAC Customs Union, Common Market Protocol, Monetary Union, and continued political confederation constitutional framework.
The verification mission will be led by Ms Tiri Marie Rose and will collaborate with Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abshir Omar, and the President of Somalia’s Special Envoy to the EAC, Abdulsalam Omer.