Somalia Starts Issuing East African Community Passports to Advance Regional Integration

Somalia launches East African Community passport, signaling push for regional mobility

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia has officially begun issuing the East African Community (EAC) passport, a step the federal government cast as historic for regional integration and a boost to global mobility for Somali citizens.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Thursday that the introduction of the EAC passport will expand opportunities in travel, trade and education while strengthening Somalia’s engagement within the regional bloc.

“Joining the East African Community is a symbol of Somalia’s recovery and its active role in the region,” Barre said, adding that the new passport will make it easier for people to move and create shared economic and social opportunities across member states.

Somalia became the EAC’s eighth member in March 2024, formally joining a bloc that includes some of the continent’s most dynamic trade corridors and labor markets. The community now comprises:

• Kenya
• Uganda
• Tanzania
• Rwanda
• Burundi
• South Sudan
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Somalia

The government framed the new passport as both a practical tool for mobility and a symbol of Somalia’s deepening ties with its neighbors after years of state rebuilding. It also linked the rollout to an improving global perception of Somali travel documents.

According to figures cited by the government, Somalia’s passport ranking has improved in recent years, moving from 111th in 2021 to 96th — a rise of 15 positions. Barre said Somali citizens can now travel visa-free or obtain visas on arrival in nearly 40 countries, describing the development as a direct benefit to students, business owners and ordinary travelers seeking to work, study or reconnect with family across borders.

He added that several countries already grant visa-free access to Somali diplomatic passport holders and expressed hope that broader access will follow for ordinary passport holders as regional cooperation deepens under the EAC framework.

The government underscored that the EAC passport rollout aligns with Somalia’s broader economic strategy. Barre highlighted the nation’s geographic advantages, including Africa’s longest coastline and its position bridging the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Gulf. He said the “blue economy” — spanning ports, fisheries and Indian Ocean trade routes — offers significant potential for growth and integration with EAC markets.

Officials also cast the passport launch as a signal of Somalia’s intent to play an active role in regional trade, sustainable development and job creation. With closer ties to EAC economies, Somali authorities say they aim to encourage investment, improve connectivity and widen opportunities for youth in particular, many of whom already traverse the region for education and employment.

The government’s announcement did not provide detailed implementation timelines beyond the start of issuance, but emphasized that adopting the EAC passport is foundational to harmonizing travel documentation with partner states. The move is expected to complement ongoing efforts to streamline cross-border movement for people and goods as Somalia settles into its first full year inside the bloc.

While the new EAC passport will not by itself eliminate existing visa requirements among all member countries, Somali officials said aligning with regional standards is a critical step. They argue the shared document can serve as a platform for broader agreements that reduce friction at border posts, encourage formal trade and support services and logistics that underpin commerce across East Africa.

For many Somalis, the government’s pitch centers on the passport as an enabler: simpler travel for students, lighter paperwork for entrepreneurs, and a more predictable route for families spanning multiple countries. As Barre put it, the measure is meant to translate Somalia’s membership in the East African Community from high-level policy into everyday benefits for citizens.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.