Donation Amount. Min £2

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi signs the deed of Accession to the Treaty establishing the EAC at a ceremony held on Friday at State House Nairobi. PHOTO | COURTESY | STATE HOUSE KENYA

What you need to know:

  • The country shares borders with all EAC members except Kenya, and hopes to attract more investors from the region, however DRC joining the bloc gives better access to facilities such as the Indian Ocean ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa

Recently  East African Community leaders okayed entry of Democratic Republic of Congo into the bloc, ending a long journey. As we celebrate history and welcome our Congolese brothers and sisters into the region, we should grab opportunities along the way. We anticipate increase in number of French speakers, trade, culture, entertainment and marriages.

However, for non-French and Swahili speakers it’s an opportunity to learn this language to communicate well with our counterparts. English and Swahili are currently the official languages of the East African Community, although there has been talk about introducing French, which is spoken in Rwanda and Burundi.

Although EAC heads of state have approved the admission of DR Congo into the bloc, Congolese lawmakers still have to ratify the EAC laws and regulations before they come into effect. Congolese citizens wishing to visit the other member countries – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda – without a visa may need to wait a little longer because full integration into the EAC could take months or even a year.  

This will allow Congolese citizens to travel freely to the other countries and trade will become much quicker, simpler and cheaper, which should benefit businesses and consumers in all countries. The country shares borders with all EAC members except Kenya, and hopes to attract more investors from the region, however DRC joining the bloc gives better access to facilities such as the Indian Ocean ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa.

Import taxes for goods accepted as being made in DR Congo will be removed or greatly reduced when entering the other countries, while transporting goods will become much cheaper. There will be faster clearance of goods. Once the one-stop border post opens, customs officials from both Uganda and DRC will sit in the same building to clear goods and people. The inclusion of DR Congo’s consumer market of close to 90 million people will expand the EAC market to almost 300 million, and open the bloc to the Congolese economy which is rich in all kinds of natural resources.
 
DR Congo’s inclusion will boost the bloc’s bargaining power globally as you wish to know numbers matter in international trade – the addition of DRC’s economy to the community implies increased purchasing power. This potential expansion of trade links from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic would help expand the region’s economic potential at a time when the continent is working to implement the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Source: Daily Monitor

About IEA Media Ltd

Informer East Africa is a UK based diaspora Newspaper. It is a unique platform connecting East Africans at home and abroad through news dissemination. It is a forum to learn together, grow together and get entertained at the same time.

To advertise events or products, get in touch by info [at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447957636854.
If you have an issue or a story, get in touch with the editor through editor[at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447886544135.

We also accept donations from our supporters. Please click on "donate". Your donations will go along way in supporting the newspaper.

Get in touch

Our Offices

London, UK
+44 7886 544135
editor (@) informereastafrica.com
Slough, UK
+44 7957 636854
info (@) informereastafrica.com

Latest News

Drama in Makindye as Besigye supporters attempt to free him from army

Drama in Makindye as...

Kizza Besigye in court Tension and drama flared up at the General Court Martial in Makindye today a...

DCI urges landowners to be cautious of cartels conning buyers

DCI urges landowners...

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has cautioned land owners to beware of land cartels...

Angola: Biden’s visit ‘dramatic break with history’ – analysts

Angola: Biden’s visi...

Analysts contacted by Lusa consider Joe Biden’s only trip to Africa and the first by a US president...

Tanzania buys Chinese freight wagons as standard gauge railway gets off to flying start

Tanzania buys Chines...

The SGR is set to increase the importance of Dar es Salaam (Image: Sohadiszno/Dreamstime) Tanzania...

For Advertisement

Big Reach

Informer East Africa is one platform for all people. It is a platform where you find so many professionals under one umbrella serving the African communities together.

Very Flexible

We exist to inform you, hear from you and connect you with what is happening around you. We do this professionally and timely as we endeavour to capture all that you should never miss. Informer East Africa is simply news for right now and the future.

Quality News

We only bring to you news that is verified, checked and follows strict journalistic guidelines and standards. We believe in 1. Objective coverage, 2. Impartiality and 3. Fair play.

Banner & Video Ads

A banner & video advertisement from our sponsors will show up every once in a while. It keeps us and our writers coffee replenished.