DR Congo joins East African bloc

The Democratic Republic of Congo was officially admitted to the East African Community on 29^thMarch, 2022 following the meeting of the 19^thextraordinary summit of the EAC Heads of State.

While addressing the EAC Heads of State Summit, President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the chairperson of the Summit, said the admission of the DRC to the EAC will enable the community to achieve much needed development based on the economies of large scale.

“Today, 29^th, is a historic day in the history of the EAC as we admit the DRC into the EAC. We have already considered and agreed in our closed session and the Summit has taken the decision to admit the DRC into the EAC,” said President Kenyatta.

“The admission of the DRC into DRC is historic not only for our countries but our continent at large.”

“For people who are looking for prosperity, this is a very important issue. We welcome the DRC into the EAC,” said President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.

“We now need to work on peace in the Eastern Congo, because that part of the region has been having problems for some time.”

“I congratulate our brothers and sisters from the DRC and welcome them into the EAC. I urge all the institutions of the EAC to accelerate the admission of the DRC processes in accordance with the Treaty and our rules of admission,” said President Paul Kagame of Rwanda.

“It is our expectation that the DRC will ratify the admission on time to allow the community to benefit from the integration,” said President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

“Coming together will benefit the community to achieve its integration agenda,” said VP Bagombanza of

The summit to admit the DRC was attended by President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda, President Samia Suluhu Hasan (Tanzania, Paul Kagame (Rwanda, Vice President Prosper Bagombanza (Burundi, Minister in the Office of the President Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin (South Sudan, and the DRC President FelixTshisekedi.