Burundi has applied alongside the Union of Comoros for membership in the 15-country regional group, Southern African Development Community (SADC), headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana.
The Inter-State Politics and Diplomacy Committee of SADC’s Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation which convened in Dar es Salaam on February 24 to make the first assessment of the applications according to the East African.
“This meeting has been tasked to assess the eligibility of both states to join SADC before advising our heads of state accordingly,” said Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs and East African Co-operation Minister Augustine Mahiga.
Since Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his intentions to run for a third term in office, Burundi has appeared reluctant on East Africa Community (EAC) matters, even boycotting East African Legislative Assembly meetings because of its differences with Rwanda and sitting out of the EAC-led Intra-Burundi Dialogue.
Tanzania which is already a member of SADC and Burundi have opposed to an economic partnership agreement between the EAC and the European Union (EU) that Kenya and Rwanda have signed as Uganda tries to reconcile the positions.
SADC assessment teams who visited both Burundi and Comoros have handed over their report to the Troika, SADC’S organ on Politics, Defence and Security which is responsible for promoting and monitoring peace and security in the region, according to SABC.
“What is important is that these two countries in particular Comoros submitted their application long before Burundi. This is the Africa we want…agenda 2063 and silencing the gun in the continent by 2020,” says South Africa’s International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoane-Mashabane.
The Tanzanian government has come out in support of the Union of the Comoros to join the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
SADC Member States
