DR CONGO ENTRY INTO EAC WILL BE A GAME CHANGER

Mourners react as DR Congo former Prime Minister Etienne Tshisekedi's body arrives in Kinshasa, on May 31, 2019. The country offers a market of 81 million people, which is almost half the size of the East African Community.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has applied to join the East African Community in a move that could potentially expand the boundaries of the trading bloc to the Atlantic coast of Africa.

The application comes following months of talks between DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda President Paul Kagame, who chairs the East African Community.

Sources familiar with the diplomatic talks that preceded the formal application say most EAC member states are enthusiastic about DR Congo’s membership.

The DRC officially communicated its intention to join the EAC in a letter to President Kagame dated June 8. Kinshasa said its desire to join the bloc was informed by its increasing trade ties with the region.

In response, President Kagame directed the EAC Secretariat to table DR Congo’s application for discussion at the next Heads of State Summit in November.

If it meets the admission requirements, members will vote on its admission.

GAME CHANGER

The potential membership of the Central African country is being viewed as a game-changer, given its natural resources wealth and a huge consumer market of 81 million people.

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