The decision by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to formally join the East Africa Community (EAC) augurs well for improved safety in the region and increased trade.The DRC formally joined the EAC in April after its president, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, signed the Treaty of the Accession in Nairobi, Kenya, in the presence of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and their Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame. The DRC now has up to September 29 to undertake internal and constitutional processes to ratify the Treaty and deposit the instruments of ratification with the EAC secretary general. Speaking at the event, President Kenyatta said getting to this point had taken strong leadership, commitment to the ideals of the EAC integration agenda, and a clear understanding of the shared benefits that came with working together.Mere days after the treaty signing, efforts were already under way to address some of the risks associated with the DRC.Duncan Bonnett of research and consulting firm Africa House said the EAC had already extended invitations to all the rebel groups operating in the eastern DRC to attend talks as part of a larger attempt to bring about stability. “This is very much an indication of what we can expect going forward. From the efforts being made we can clearly see that the potential and opportunity identified by the EAC in the eastern DRC is enormous. They are committed to sorting out the problems and are getting down to it almost immediately.”It is expected that troops will be sent in should talks and negotiations fail. “It is the first time in decades, if not ever, that we are seeing a common purpose and attempt by various countries in the region to sort out the eastern DRC. That is a very positive development,” said Bonnett.Uganda, in particular, has identified the DRC as an area that could bring increased trade to its shores and has announced funding of some 300km of roads to key cities in the eastern DRC. At present, despite being neighbours, the DRC only accounts for a fraction of Uganda’s trade.Peace in the DRC, however, is not only about increasing trade. Stability in the country brings major benefit to all its neighbours, and there is currently a strong push from most of East Africa to ensure this.According to a spokesman for the EAC, the accession of DRC as a member state of EAC will strengthen the region’s economic muscle and competitiveness in the continent and globally.Already there has been the immediate removal of non-tariff barriers on the movement of capital, goods, services and people, with the DRC, which will in time lead to an increase in intra-EAC trade. It is commonly understood in East Africa that integration brings bigger markets as well as strategic security.
