Somalia is the newest member of the East African Community: what were the pull and push factors?

By Fidel Amakye Owusu

In 2022, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), the second-largest and fourth-most populous country in Africa, joined the East African Community (EAC).

Prior to this, the resource-rich nation was (and still is) a member of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This unique position places the DR Congo in three of Africa’s six main geopolitical organizations.

These regional economic communities include the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), SADC, EAC, ECCAS, the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

On March 4, 2024, it was announced that Somalia had become the newest member of the EAC. This followed a visit by the Somali President to Arusha, where the EAC headquarters is located.

Why is this significant?

Somalia has long been interested in joining the EAC. Countries have various reasons for joining regional organizations, and for Somalia, both push and pull factors play a crucial role in this decision.

What are these factors?

Firstly, a major pull factor is the relative stability of the EAC compared to other African organizations. With the exception of South Sudan, where factional interests complicate political stability, most EAC member states are stable. Kenya, Tanzania, and, in recent decades, Uganda and Rwanda, have maintained political stability. This stability is attractive to Somalia, a country committed to rebuilding itself.

Secondly, the EAC’s impressive economic development and robust market have drawn Somalia into its fold. The economies of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda are among the most promising on the continent. Joining this economic bloc could help Somalia achieve its economic goals.

Additionally, Somalia stands to improve its security within the EAC. When the DR Congo joined the EAC, it saw immediate security benefits, such as Kenya dispatching a stabilization force to Eastern DRC. While not a final solution, this intervention helped prevent further deterioration of the situation.

Push factors include rivalry, internal instability, and interstate tensions among IGAD member states. Somalia has been a part of the Horn of Africa’s regional organization for decades, alongside Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, and others. Interestingly, South Sudan and Kenya hold dual membership in both the EAC and IGAD.

Most importantly, improved relations between Kenya, the largest economy in the EAC, and Somalia have facilitated Somalia’s membership. Prioritizing the welfare of ordinary Somalis should be a key focus in this new relationship.

Fidel Amakye Owusu is an International Relations and Security Analyst. He is an Associate at the Conflict Research Consortium for Africa and has previously hosted an International Affairs program with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). He is passionate about Diplomacy and realizing Africa’s global potential and how the continent should be viewed as part of the global collective.