The United Nations Office in Somalia (UNSOM) has congratulated the government and people of Somalia on their great achievement in becoming an official member of the East African Community (EAC).
The statement issued by UNSOM said “It is a victory for Somalia that reflects its return to the international community and its recovery of its dignity”.
Somalia is the eighth country to join the EAC, a regional intergovernmental organization that aims to create a common market, a common currency, and a political federation among its members. The other members are Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The EAC was founded in 1967, collapsed in 1977, and re-established in 2000. It has a population of 312 million and a GDP of US$923.532 billion.
Somalia applied for membership in 2016 and was admitted as a full member on November 23, 2023, after fulfilling the criteria and procedures for accession.
The admission of Somalia is expected to boost trade, investment, and cooperation in the region, as well as enhance peace and security.
