Sunday October 12, 2025
FILE - Members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) participate in a plenary session at the assembly’s headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s Federal Parliament has established a special committee to select and vet the country’s first representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), marking a key step in Somalia’s full integration into the East African Community (EAC).
The announcement follows the
ratification of Somalia’s accession law to the EAC in February 2024, which paved the way for the Horn of Africa nation to join the regional bloc as its eighth member.
In a joint statement issued Friday, Speaker of the House of the People Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur “Madobe” and Speaker of the Upper House Abdi Hashi Abdullahi appointed a five-member committee tasked with overseeing the nomination, vetting, and final selection of Somalia’s representatives to EALA.
MP Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan (Nuux) was named chairperson of the committee, with Senator Zamzam Ibrahim Ali serving as deputy chairperson. Other members include MP Abdi Ibrahim Warsame (Qowdhan), Senator Iftiin Hassan Iman (Baasto), and MP Guled Bihi Abdi.
According to the parliamentary statement, the committee’s mandate includes shortlisting qualified candidates, verifying their eligibility, and submitting the final list to the Federal Parliament for confirmation. The speakers directed the committee to begin work immediately, emphasizing that the government will provide the logistical and administrative support necessary to expedite the process.
“The committee is required to commence its duties without delay,” the joint directive stated, signaling the urgency of Somalia’s participation ahead of upcoming EALA sessions in Arusha, Tanzania.
Somalia’s entry into the EAC, joining Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, represents a major diplomatic victory after years of negotiation. The East African Legislative Assembly serves as the lawmaking body of the bloc, responsible for drafting and passing legislation that facilitates trade, regional integration, and the free movement of people and goods.
Somalia’s representation in EALA will
bolster its regional influence and provide new opportunities for economic collaboration and governance reforms. Earlier this week, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced that Swahili, East Africa’s most widely spoken language, will be introduced into Somalia’s school and university curricula to
deepen regional integration.