By Business Insider Correspondent, Arusha
The East African Community (EAC) has issued a clear and unequivocal statement reaffirming its recognition of Somalia as a single, sovereign state, underscoring the regional bloc’s commitment to unity, territorial integrity and adherence to international law at a time of renewed geopolitical sensitivities in the Horn of Africa.
In a statement released by the EAC Secretariat in Arusha on December 28, the regional body said it fully recognises the Federal Republic of Somalia “as a single sovereign state under the authority of the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” leaving little room for ambiguity on its position regarding Somalia’s status within the region and beyond.
The statement aligns the EAC squarely with the African Union’s long-standing position on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its member states, as enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union and reinforced through various AU decisions. By explicitly referencing these legal and political frameworks, the EAC has sought to anchor its stance within established continental norms, rather than treating Somalia as a special or exceptional case.
Importantly, the EAC reiterated that its recognition of Somalia is based on borders inherited at independence, a principle that has historically underpinned Africa’s post-colonial state system.
This principle, often invoked to prevent border disputes and secessionist conflicts, signals the bloc’s rejection of any actions or arrangements that could undermine Somalia’s internationally recognised boundaries.
“The EAC calls for respect for the unity and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia and urges all stakeholders to act within established regional and international legal frameworks,” the statement said, a message widely interpreted as being directed not only at internal Somali actors but also at regional and external players with interests in the country.
Somalia formally joined the East African Community in 2023, a move that was widely seen as both symbolic and strategic. For the EAC, Somalia’s admission expanded the bloc’s geopolitical footprint to the Indian Ocean and strengthened its role in regional security and trade corridors linking East Africa to the Middle East and Asia. For Somalia, membership offered a platform for deeper economic integration, political support and regional solidarity as it continues its long and complex state-building process.
Since joining the bloc, Somalia has been navigating sensitive internal dynamics involving federal member states, regional administrations and the central government in Mogadishu.
Against this backdrop, the EAC’s latest statement can be read as a strong vote of confidence in Somalia’s federal government and a reaffirmation that regional integration does not dilute national sovereignty.
Analysts say the timing of the statement is significant. The Horn of Africa remains one of the most geopolitically complex regions on the continent, shaped by security challenges, maritime trade routes, competition among global powers and unresolved internal conflicts. In this context, regional organisations such as the EAC are increasingly expected to play a stabilising role by reinforcing norms of sovereignty, non-interference and peaceful coexistence.
By explicitly urging all stakeholders to operate within recognised legal frameworks, the EAC is also positioning itself as a rules-based regional body, keen to avoid precedents that could destabilise not only Somalia but the wider East African region.
Similar principles have been invoked in the past by the bloc in relation to conflicts and political transitions in other member states, reflecting a broader effort to strengthen institutional coherence and collective responsibility.
For Somalia, the statement offers diplomatic reassurance at a time when international recognition and regional backing remain critical to rebuilding institutions, attracting investment and consolidating peace. It also reinforces Somalia’s standing within the EAC as a full and equal member state, rather than a peripheral or fragile partner.
As the EAC continues to deepen integration through its common market, infrastructure projects and security cooperation, its firm stance on Somalia’s unity sends a broader message about the bloc’s vision for the region: one anchored in sovereign states, clearly defined borders and shared legal norms. In reaffirming Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity, the EAC has not only restated a principle but also signalled its intention to remain an active political and diplomatic actor in shaping stability in East Africa and the Horn – at a moment when regional solidarity is under growing pressure.
