Somalia has become the latest country to join the East African Community (EAC) this November, following the accession of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the regional intergovernmental organisation in March.
The addition of Somalia comes with some opportunities for the EAC. For example, it brings 18 million more people into the trade bloc, along with several companies and over 3.000 km of coastline - the largest in Africa - allowing for greater EAC exploitation of fisheries, and potentially of oil and gas.
On the other hand, there are concerns that Somalia will not be able to comply with the EAC Treaty, which requires Member States to hold "universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice." Somalia was elected last year as the most corrupt nation in the world. In addition, the country has been in a state of conflict for over three decades, and, since 2006, has been struggling with the presence of the al-Qaeda affiliated group al-Shabaab. With the free movement of people inside the EAC, it is feared that the jihadist group will use such policies to move its members and weaponry more easily around the Member States.
Somalia joining the EAC may be part of addressing these challenges, also communalizing the challenges in Somalia to the entirety of the EAC. At the same time, it may also effect the capacity of the EAC and its institutions to function effectively, also in light of the earlier accession of the DRC.
