By Kevin Cheruiyot
Sunday February 28, 2021
Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and President Uhuru Kenyatta during Farmaajo's inauguration in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The Federal Republic of Somalia will have to wait longer before sharing the table with other East Africa Community countries.
During the virtual 21st Ordinary Summit of the East African Community Heads of States held on Saturday, the organization said that the Somalia application to join the community had not been undertaken.
“The summit noted that the verification exercise for the admission of the Federal Republic of Somalia into the East Africa Community had not been undertaken and directed the Council to follow up on the exercise,” EAC statement reads.At the same time, the summit considered the application by the Democratic Republic of Congo to join EAC and directed the Council to undertake a verification mission.
DRC’s admission to the community will be communicated by the Council during the 22nd Summit.
Also, the summit considered a report on the roadmap for accelerated integration of South Sudan into the EAC and directed the Council to conclude the progress.
During the Summit, President Uhuru Kenyatta was elected as the new Chairperson of the East African Community.
Uhuru took over from his Rwandan outgoing counterpart Paul Kagame who took over the leadership in February 2019.
During the summit, Dr. Peter Mutuku Mathuki from Kenya was appointed as the new Secretary-General of the Community for a 5-year non-renewable term.
Mutuku is taking over from Amb. Liberat Mfumukeko was appointed with effect from April 2016.