President Mohamud Kicks Off EAC Conference in Mogadishu, Criticizes Ethiopia’s Water Plans

President Mohamud fiercely criticized Ethiopia’s aspirations to access Somalia’s maritime resources, declaring such aims detrimental to regional harmony and collaboration. “To the Somali community and global observers: Ethiopia’s illegal pursuit of our waters is intolerable. They already enjoy access through Djibouti’s shoreline,” Mohamud emphasized.

This conference represents a landmark occasion for Somalia, marking its induction as a full-fledged member of the EAC on March 4, 2024. The formalities took place in Arusha, Tanzania. Membership is set to enhance Somalia’s economy by streamlining trade, investments, and the unrestricted movement of people and commodities within the region. Encompassing Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the EAC now seeks to integrate Somalia into its foundational components: the Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union, and Political Federation.

Somalia’s prime location with Africa’s longest stretch of coastline augments the EAC’s market scope substantially. Joining the EAC should propel Somalia’s economic growth, create jobs, tackle soaring unemployment, and curtail youth migration.

Somalia confronts formidable obstacles including governance woes, human rights issues, and the persistent Al-Shabaab insurgency. These challenges might impede smooth integration into the EAC. Furthermore, the EAC’s expansion has faced scrutiny for potentially stretching its ability to achieve genuine integration, with political strife among members like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda highlighting these worries.