EDITORIAL: DRC plan for EAC welcome

In all fairness – and without prejudice – The Citizen concurs with the East African Community Secretariat in welcoming the anticipated membership of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to a senior EAC Secretariat official, DRC’s intention to join the East African economic bloc that is bent on regional integration was announced in Nairobi by newly-inaugurated DRC President Felix Tshisekedi during his state visit to Kenya on February 6.

What is now awaited for the noble intention to be worked on is a formal membership application by the DRC government to the Secretariat. Final decision on the application is the sole prerogative of the EAC Summit.

With fabulous natural wealth potential, DRC has a population of some 84 million people, and its membership would considerably grow the EAC market for both consumers and producers, including service providers. This will mean that the economic bloc may end up having about 250 million people populationwise.

Besides having relatively good business relations with most of the EAC nations, EAC membership could also pare down DRC’s seemingly endless internecine domestic woes through closer association with countries like Kenya and Tanzania whose historic stability would influence matters in the DRC.

So, up with EAC membership for DRC, we say.