This was announced this afternoon by the chair of the summit of EAC, President Uhuru Kenyatta, at the 19^th Extra-ordinary summit.

The Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin on Tuesday joined other heads of State from East African Countries on a virtual summit to discuss the official admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC as the Seven member of East African community.

Speaking on behalf of President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Dr. Marial said the government of South Sudan warmly congratulates and welcomes the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo into the East African Community.

“I would like to convey His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit’s congratulations to his brother, His excellency, President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi for guiding the Democratic Republic of Congo towards the East African Community,” Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin reiterated.

“This is a remarkable effort and a very important step to the realization of a cohesive East African community.

“Our mission as a community is to widen and deepen economic, political, social and cultural integration in order to improve the quality of life of the people of East Africa through increased competitiveness, value added production, trade and investments”

The DR Congo becomes the seventh member state after Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan.

The member state is expected to benefit from the integration of the east of the country into the common telecommunications space, which will reduce costs with neighboring countries.

They will also have several administrative facilities and a reduction in charges for the commercial and economic activities of Congolese citizens, as well as facilitating their mobility in the eastern countries.

The DRC is also expected to benefit from reduced tariffs for goods received at the ports of Mombasa, Kenya and Dar Salaam, Tanzania.

Kim Gai, a legislator at the East African parliament representing South Sudan confirmed the admission of the DRC to the regional body…

“The Republic of the DRC Congo has been admitted today officially by the head of state. The chair of the summit H.E Uhuru Kenyatta announced in a virtual meeting. It is officially a member of the EAC number seven,” said Hon. Kim Gai.

Asked about how DRC Congo’s admission to the regional body is going to benefit South Sudan as a member state, Kim Gai said…

“We are talking about the free movement of people, goods, labor and services. So our goods that are being produced from Western Eqautoria, Central will definitely reach the DRC and also the DRC will bring their goods to South Sudan,” Gai said.

The DRC borders two states of South Sudan, namely Central Equatoria and Western Equatoria.

The country shares borders with all EAC members except Kenya and is already a member of three other regional trading blocs.