TEN REASONS WHY WE SHOULD WELCOME DR CONGO TO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa on January 24, 2019. The DRC wants to join the East African Community.

1. Let us first deal with the big cynical view that was among the first to emerge when news came that the Democratic Republic of Congo has applied to join the East African Community: That Rwanda’s leadership wants to score a big point by bringing the giant state into the fold during its chairmanship.

Well, if Rwanda is selfishly seeking to boost its stature by recruiting DRC, then that kind of selfishness, which stands to benefit 275 million people (EAC has 193 million), should be welcomed. What all members should do is to ensure that the spirit and letter of the Community charter are strictly adhered to.

2. There is also the little matter of whether DRC is in East Africa. Indeed, it shares borders with five members of the Community – South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. That is more than any other of the members. In that respect, DRC is the most qualified country to join the EAC.

3. There are always two sides to a coin. Right now the image of the EAC is less than bright, featuring Rwanda in the chair having uneasy relations with Uganda and Burundi; the Community Secretariat in Arusha drowning in financial scandals and most member states not remitting their contributions promptly. But this is a phase that shouldn’t stifle EAC’s ambition to be a leading light for regional integration. Admitting Congo makes a big aspirational statement and sets higher targets for the continent.

4. The inclusion of DRC, even the process of considering its admission, helps to refocus the Community towards more noble goals and the tasks that must be performed to achieving them. Squabbling amongst members certainly cannot encourage Congo’s 81.4 million citizens. They have enough troubles of their own. Trade bickering between Kenya and Tanzania has to resolved through mature negotiation, enough to attract the enormously resource-rich country.

5. To focus clearly on the benefits: Franz Fanon said that Africa is shaped like a gun with Congo as the trigger, which trigger if it bursts would make the whole of Africa explode. That explosion need not be negative. It should be a development explosion and let it start in the EAC.