The accession of Somalia and South Sudan was a hot topic at the 25th ordinary meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers, held 27 to 31 August in Bujumbura.
“The East African community: Bringing down boundaries” was the theme of the conference.
“To maintain security and peace in the region is involved in the application of Republics of the South Sudan and Somalia,“ said the chairperson of the Council and Minister of EAC Affairs of Kenya, Musa Sirma, in the Ministerial Media Breakfast Meeting on 31 August.
“A verification committee composed of three experts from each partner state and three experts from the Secretariat was dispatched to undertake the verification of the application of South Sudan to join EAC from 15-31 July 2012,” he clarified. “And on 28 February 2012, His Excellency Sharif Sheikh Ahmed of the Republic of Somalia submitted his country’s application to join the East African Community.”
He also mentioned the Council received the Verification Committee report from South Sudan but some partner states still needed more time to consult the report with all the key stakeholders. It was decided that the report would be considered at the next meeting of the Council in November of this year.
“Much as enlarging the country membership of the East African Community to include the Republic of Somalia may contribute to regional peace, security, stability and development, the matter calls for proper timing and wider consultations with other international players involved in the Somali peace initiatives,” added Sirma.
The meeting also looked at other issues the EAC is facing. “The Council of Ministers has on their agenda the implementation of the EAC common market, the progress on the monetary union, infrastructures like railways, roads and ports, the analogue-to-digital broadcast migration and the political matters,” said EAC Secretary General Richard Sezibera.
The Council of Ministers of EAC Affairs in the Ministerial Media Breakfast Meeting ¢Iwacu
