Somalia assesses EAC membership benefits, two years on
Presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia (left), Salva Kiir of South Sudan (centre) and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda (right) look at the new depiction of the East African Community on a map after Somalia signed the Treaty of Accession to the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC, becoming the eighth member of the bloc on December 15, 2023.
In 2024, Somalia celebrated its accession to the East African Community (EAC) as part of its international rebranding project. But now, stakeholders are assessing the actual benefits of joining the eight-member bloc.
This week, some 800 participants, including government officials, investors and diplomats, gathered in Mogadishu for the third East African Community Opportunities Conference (Eacon 2026) to review Somalia’s gains, challenges and way forward as a member of the EAC. It turned out to be a list of lessons learnt.
