The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has finally become a member of the East African Community after depositing the instrument of ratification with the EAC Secretary General at the bloc’s headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Handing over the instrument of ratification to the Secretary General, DRC’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’ Apala, said that the entry of his country into the EAC was an economic, cultural, geographical and historical obligation.
Hon. Apala said that DRC’s admission into the bloc was a fulfillment of the vision of the founding fathers of the Organization of African Unity (now African Union) including Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba all of whom wanted a strong, united and prosperous continent where people could trade and move freely.
Hon. Apala said that the region faces similar challenges in terms of infrastructure development, insecurity, poverty, underdevelopment, diseases and ignorance that can best be addressed collectively by Partner States for the well-being of their peoples.
The Vice Prime Minister described the EAC as the most integrated bloc on the entire African continent, adding that the Summit of Heads of State also had the political will to achieve the objectives as outlined in the Treaty.
Hon. Apala said that the entry of his country into the EAC had strengthened the bloc’s economic, political, socio-cultural, financial and military muscle.