UPC welcomes DRC to EAC

DRC joins Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, and South Sudan in the EAC.

Kampala – March 31, 2022: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has joined the East African Community (EAC). It joins Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, and South Sudan.  

DRC becomes the seventh state to join the community in a bid to boost its trade, social cohesion, and security, through a combined effort with the member states, the opposition party president, Jimmy Akena has said. 

“Uganda Peoples Congress welcomes and congratulates DRC upon joining the EAC. This is a great development as it will facilitate trade and tighten security among the member states,” he added on Wednesday.

In the case of Uganda, Akena said it will widen markets for our “produce such as maize, beans, and livestock like chicken, eggs, and raw materials as well as finished products which will boost the economy of Uganda”.

“Countries like Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda access their external markets mainly through Kenya and Tanzania since they are the ones at the coastlines and ports. This enhances the cause for EAC.”

However, UPC has noted with concern that there are emerging areas, which require a joint approach such as security, diseases control, weather studies, forecasting, tourism, and wildlife as well as climate change and the environment.

Originally, he recalled that the founding members of the East African Community which include; Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania had joint ventures that need to be restored alongside the current objectives of the EAC.

“For instance, Uganda headquartered the East Africa Posts and Communications, East Africa Flying School, East Africa Library Studies, and East Africa Virus Research Institute; Kenya used to headquarters of East Africa Airways, East Africa Railways, and East Africa College of Tourism, and Tanzania had East Africa Ports and Harbors.”

UPC calls upon all the current member states to effectively work towards the achievement of such projects and implementation of the EAC objectives to better the spirit of togetherness as well as improve relations among the member states.