The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has signed the treaty of accession to the East African Community, cementing its place as the seventh partner state of the bloc.
At the signing ceremony, DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi spoke of his country’s entry to the EAC as a boost to the economy of the region.
Unveiling the new-look map of East Africa, 92 Million people bigger and an increase in the region’s combined annual Gross Domestic Product from $193 billion to $250 billion, leaders from the region see this new partnership as a great business opportunity for one of the continent’s most integrated regions.
“We now have a community that is bigger in size than Europe and almost the same population with abundant resources, skills, youthful manpower and woman power out the ability to be a giant not only in Africa but in the globe lies in our hands,” says Tshisekedi.
The signing of the treaty marks the formal entry of DRC into the bloc and a culmination of a process that started in 2019.
“We just have to get down to do the work that is entailed in the statements that we have made…as well as the East African Community,” says Rwanda’s PresidentPaul Kagame.
The DRC which is also a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) borders five of the EAC partner states.
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