A delegation from the East African Community paid a three-day courtesy visit to Juba this week to discuss the ‘gradual’ process by which South Sudan’s might join the regional bloc.

Richard Sezibera, the EAC secretary-general, said the ‘engagement’ trip aimed at discussing with South Sudanese leaders the criteria and obligations involved in membership of the regional bloc, whose members comprise Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

South Sudan applied to join the EAC in 2011, but its application has still not been approved after EAC member states raised concerns over poor governance and weak justice systems.

The EAC Secretary-General Sezibera appeared Tuesday at a joint news conference with South Sudan’s Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He said he was visiting at the invitation of the government of South Sudan.

Sezibera said that he believed South Sudan would benefit more from the bloc once its membership has been accepted fully in the EAC council. He said that the negotiation process is long and involving a lot of diplomacy and cooperation.  

He said the EAC would continue dialogue with South Sudan, pointing out, “South Sudan in many ways is East African. Our people have long history together.”

Finance Minister Aggrey Tisa Sabuni said, “South Sudan’s integration into the East Africa Region is likely to be gradual and have a phased approach. Before accession it is necessary to have a full picture of both positive and negative effects of membership and devise appropriate policies and progress in case adjustment costs are foreseen.”

Technical negotiations

In August 2013 the EACs Council of Ministers passed a resolution establishing a High-level Negotiation Team to carry out the negotiations with South Sudan. In March 2014 President Salva Kiir signed a presidential decree establishing a committee to negotiate South Sudan’s accession to the EAC.

To become a member of the East Africa Community the government must adopt policies that harmonize economically and politically with those of other member states, including coordination of trade relations and customs taxes, tax polices, among others.

South Sudan is in a ‘preparatory phase’ before commencement of EAC negotiations, which are now scheduled to begin in November 2014, according to the Finance Minister, who will oversee the talks together with the Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial.

Ugandan and Kenyan business communities

Meanwhile, business communities in Uganda and Kenya want the process for membership of South Sudan into the East African Community to be blocked. Private sector actors in the two countries filed a court case in an effort to block South Sudan from joining the regional bloc.

“They have sued the secretary-general, and have taken us to the East African Court of Justice,” said Ambassador Richard Sezibera.

The envoy said the EAC will discuss with the South Sudanese government the complaints raised against South Sudan.

Last year it was reported by Sudan Tribune that the Uganda Traders Association of South Sudan filed a court case to block South Sudan’s membership application.

An official of the group said the government, several army generals and different state governments owe members of his association $14.8 million, which they allegedly declined to pay.

Photo: Barnaba Marial. Minister of Foreign Affairs (center), Amb Dr Richard Sezibera Secretary General of EAC (right), Aggrey Tisa Sabuni, Minister of Finance (left), Photo by Radio Tamazuj

Gallery photo: Members of the EAC delegation at a news conference in Juba