ARUSHA (Halbeeg News) – By admititing Somalia into East African Community (EAC) will befinicial for the bloc as this will bring under control the Horn of Africa coast line that is abundantly rich in fisheries.
Somalia’s long Indian Ocean/Red Sea route that links the EA region to the Arabian Peninsula is seen as a vibrant economic zone.
“It will bring immense benefits for the EAC through the exploitation of Somalia’s blue economy resources such as fish,” said the EAC secretary general, Peter Mathuki.
Dr Mathuki, when speaking at a recent retreat in Kenya for the EAC staff, insisted that Somalia’s admission would be for the economic interest of the bloc.
Besides being one of the leading countries in livestock population, geology suggests the presence of valuable mineral deposits in Somalia.
For Dr Mathuki, who successfully struggled to have DR Congo in the EAC, Somalia’s admission into the seven nation bloc could be a matter of time.
A verification team would be dispatched to Mogadishu anytime from now to assess the country’s readiness to join the Community.
“The verification mission will be visiting Somalia from the end of this month (January),” he told staff drawn from the EAC organs at Machakos county.
At 3,300 kilometers, Somalia boasts the longest coastline in continental Africa and diverse waters that are home to schools of different fish species.
These include yellowfin tuna, blue marlin, dolphin fish, sardines, and many more amid tremendous potential for successful expansion.
The coastline hosts one of the major shipping routes around Africa although once associated with piracy by boat-borne criminals.
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