Southern Sudan Can Join EAC Says Kenyan Minister

11 February 2011 - (Nairobi) – Southern Sudan is fit to become a member of the East African Community, EAC depending on the agreement it reaches with other member states.

Speaking to SRS in Nairobi on Thursday, Kenyan assistant minister of foreign affairs, Richard Onyonka said that southern Sudan has a right to ask other member states of the EAC for certain trade protections for its young nation.

[Richard Onyonka]: “South Sudan has been operating within the East African community as an observer country. And the East African community charter states that there are requirements for you as a country to make a recommendation to the other partner states for certain protections before you can join the community. For example, we receive raw palm oil to Kenya and its changed to cooking oil, and we say we want that not to be taxed because the value additions creates jobs in Kenya, the Tanzanians have refused anybody to buy land in Tanzania whether you are from Kenya, Uganda , Burundi or Rwanda. You can also demand that. It will be advantageous for south Sudan to negotiate for the free movement of labor so that south Sudanese can come and look for jobs in even Kenya as you wait for your country to grow. The advantages are more than the disadvantages.”

Onyonko further said that southern Sudan will benefit more from the larger East African market once it becomes a member of the EAC.

Currently, the EAC membership includes Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda and Rwanda.