Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, as Chairperson of the East African Community Heads of State Summit, on Tuesday, March 29, announced the admission of DR Congo into the bloc making it the seventh partner state. This was as the EAC Heads of State convened for the 19th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State, which took place virtually, with all countries, save for Burundi and South Sudan, represented by their Presidents including President Felix Tshisekedi. “Admitting the DRC into the East African Community is historic for our community and the African continent at large,” Uhuru said. The Summit was preceded by the 48th extra-ordinary meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers, which took place earlier on March 25 to consider the provisional agenda and programme of the EAC Summit on the admission of DR Congo. Nearly three years after making a formal application, in June 2019, DR Congo was officially admitted into the Community. Soon after Uhuru’s opening remarks, EAC Secretary General, Peter Mathuki, was given the floor and he also said that “today marks a momentous” moment. The process of DR Congo’s entry started when Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on June 8, 2019, wrote to then EAC Chairperson, President Paul Kagame, expressing his country’s wish to be a member of the bloc. Regional leaders on February 27, 2021, considered the application by DR Congo to join the Community and directed Ministers to expeditiously undertake a verification mission in accordance with the EAC procedure for admission of new members. When, on January 17, 2022, negotiations paving way for the vast country’s admission were launched in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, Kinshasa reaffirmed its willingness to be part of the bloc. During the January launch in Nairobi, DR Congo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’Apala, said his country was looking forward to increased trade and investment, and strengthened relations with the EAC. A few weeks later, the report of the negotiations was presented to the Council of Ministers. The leaders are likely to usher in in country’s accession phase which literally concludes the admission process. The private sector has urged Heads of State to direct relevant government bodies to fast track the admission of the DR Congo. By becoming the seventh member, DR Congo is expected to bolster the bloc’s economic potential in various ways including opening the corridor from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, hence expanding the economic potential of the region. The procedure for admission of DR Congo, or any other new member, entailed four stages. First was a verification exercise; then there were negotiations with the country on its admission to the EAC directed by Summit. Mid last year, a verification team was deployed in the country. It submitted its report to the Council of Ministers in December 2021. After the official admission now, there will follow the ultimate deposition of the instrument of acceptance of the terms of admission by the country within six months of its admission. With French now an official EAC language, Mathuki said the Secretariat has developed a proposal for simultaneous translation of Kiswahili and French in EAC statutory meetings that is due for consideration by the next Council.
