South Sudan now confirms EAC entry
Saturday, 08 October 2011 22:13
0diggsdigg
By Zephania Ubwani
The Citizen Bureau Chief
Arusha: South Sudan has confirmed that it is joining the East African Community.The country’s leader, President Salva Kiir Mayardit, said it has already kick-started the application process.
"We want to join the EAC; we are not dragging our feet; we are coming," he declared on Wednesday when he met the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala), Mr Abdirahin Haithar Abdi, in Juba.
He said South Sudan has enjoyed enormous support from East Africa during and prior to negotiations that culminated in the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005. This ended many years of war and anarchy in Sudan, then Africa’s largest state.
The peace deal led to the secession of the mainly black South from the central government in Khartoum and proclamation of South Sudan as Africa’s newest state on July 9 this year.
President Kiir, one of the top commanders of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) which waged a 21-year war with Khartoum, did not give the time frame of his country joining the EAC.
However, he said the people of South Sudan stood to benefit much from integrating with the region. This is because of the increasing economic, political and cultural ties "and willingness of EA leaders to open the door for us."
He explained that the EAC bloc gave logistic support to the SPLM during its war to secede from the Arabist North Sudan that started in 1983. It was caused by the marginalisation of South which has vast oil resources, now at the centre of renewed conflicts between Juba and Khartoum.
"Whenever Khartoum isolated Juba we ran either to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Burundi or Rwanda for shelter and assistance. The EAC is thus at the centre of our hearts," he emphasised.
President Kiir’s remarks were among major indications that South Sudan was indeed on the path to joining the EAC. This is despite the move having been expected even before its independence last July.
EAC leaders have repeatedly said Juba was welcome to join the bloc because it met most of the six conditions for states aspiring to become new members. Of special significance is the country’s proximity to the region and the potential it has to contribute to the economy of the area.
However, it is North Sudan which has sent its official application to join the EAC ahead of its former autonomous state.
The application was handed over to the Arusha-based secretariat and discussed during the Council of Ministers meeting in August. It was then referred to the heads of state summit scheduled for next month.
Increased economic ties have seen Kenya become the leading investor in South Sudan. The latter has not fully recovered from the effects of the long war and lacks basic infrastructure for the economic take off.
Available figures indicate a steep rise of trade between the country and the EAC bloc. For instance, last year exports to Juba from Uganda and Kenya topped $187 million (about Sh308.5 billon) and $184m (about Sh303.6 billion) respectively.
President Kiir told the Eala Speaker and his delegation that the existing warm relations between his country and the EAC was enough indication that his country was going to benefit immensely by joining it.
During its recent session in Kigali, Rwanda, the Eala passed a resolution urging EAC partner states– Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda– to develop regional infrastructure that links the borders with South Sudan. This would enable the EAC and South Sudan unlock the vast economic potential of the region.
The resolution further urged the partner states to pursue a sustained and increased trade, political and socio-economic cooperation with South Sudan.
In addition, they were encouraged to work closely with the Parliament of the newest African nation to strengthen ties between the EAC and Juba.
http://thecitizen.co.tz/sunday-citizen/-/15933-south-sudan-now-confirms-eac-entry
About Post Author
