The Somalia president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud urged the East African Community to fast-track his country’s admission into the regional bloc.
President Sheikh Mohamud said Somalia joining the Community has been a delayed dream for the people and the Government of Somalia urging the community’s Secretary General Dr. Peter Mathuki, to expedite the process of admission.
“Somalia belongs to the East African Community. There is no country among the EAC Partners States that is not linked by business with Somalia and existing historical linkages include language and culture,” said the Somalia President.
The call came during the maiden visit of EAC Secretary General to Mogadishu, Dr. Mathuki formally delivered the 22nd EAC Ordinary Summit’s directive to the Council to expeditiously fast-track the verification exercise for Somalia in accordance with the EAC procedures of admission of new countries into the Community.
President Mohamud said that his country was working tirelessly to remove all the security challenges with the support of some of the EAC member states.
“We are counting on you Secretary General to send the verification team here in Mogadishu to start the process,” he added.
The EAC Secretary General indicated that after his maiden visit, the EAC Secretariat would write to Partner States to request for nominations for members to constitute the EAC Verification Team.
The Team will comprise 3 experts from each Partner States and officials from the Secretariat.
Somalia made its application to join the East African Community in 2012. Since its application the admission of Somalia has since been pending due to various reasons that includes insecurity
The 22nd Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State observed that the Verification Exercise for the Admission of Somalia into the Community had not been undertaken and directed the Council to expeditiously fast-track the verification exercise in accordance with the EAC Procedures for admission of New Members into the EAC and report to the 23rd Ordinary Meeting of the Summit.
SOURCE: EAC