New EAC member to benefit from regional Chinese infrastructure

March 29 marks a huge milestone in the history of the East African Community (EAC) after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was admitted to the regional bloc. It has been a long journey for the DRC after successful negotiations by regional experts and the EAC Council of Ministers, and their subsequent recommendation of DRC’s entry to the Summit of EAC Heads of State.

The EAC is a regional intergovernmental organization of six partner States comprising Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The stated mission of the EAC is to “widen and deepen economic, political, social and cultural integration in order to improve the quality of life of the people of East Africa through increased competitiveness, value added production, trade and investments”.

The DRC, previously known as Zaire, is a coveted nation not just in Africa but globally. It has a huge economic potential owing to its rare natural wealth. The country accounts for around 17 percent of global production of rough diamonds, 34 percent of the world’s cobalt and 10 percent of the world’s copper. Further, 60-80 percent of global reserves of coltan which is used in the manufacture of mobile phones, computers and other electronic equipment, are found in DRC.

The World Bank notes that the country is endowed with massive hydropower potential, significant arable land, immense biodiversity, and the world’s second-largest rainforest. Experts note that the DRC is arguably the richest country in the world based on its natural resources, with its untapped raw minerals estimated to be worth more than U.S. dollars 24 trillion.

Notwithstanding such abundance, DRC ranks among the poorest countries in the world, having undergone years of civil strife after the death of former President Mobutu Sese Seko in September 1997. The country of 90 million people ranked 175 out of 189 countries on the 2020 Human Development Index with majority living below the poverty line. Ironically, the unexploited wealth has been the country’s bane, with its wars spilling over to its neighbors, particularly Uganda and South Sudan. Rebel groups funded both internally and externally have murdered hundreds of thousands of civilians, basically turning DRC into a failed State.

The EAC will also benefit from the preservation of the world’s second largest natural ecosystem in the Congo Forest, which acts as the region’s carbon sink, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. The Community is likely to come up with a unified policy for the forest and turn it into a major source of foreign exchange through carbon trading credits for the region. The States will also find it easier to negotiate for better terms of trade as a bloc, with each selling its comparative advantages, thus avoiding unnecessary and wasteful competition and duplication.

The DRC will also take advantage of the developed infrastructural projects in the region which are major enablers of intra-EAC trade. On October, 30 2021 the Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) reaffirmed her commitment to supporting the EAC achieve regional integration by promoting its development projects. According to a press release, the Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania and EAC, H.E. Chen Mingjian, made the commitment while presenting her letter of credence to the regional body’s Secretary General, Hon. Dr. Peter Mathuki, at the headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania on Friday.

Dr. Mathuki lauded the PRC for her immense support to the region, particularly through infrastructure development projects geared at enhancing intra-EAC trade. He hailed China for offering education opportunities to East Africans through the provision of scholarships and exchange programmes, which he said have contributed in filing the skills gaps in the labour market.

“We appreciate the support that China has given us in our programmes such as the YouLead Summit and this speaks of China’s commitment and good relations in the region,” he said, and informed the Ambassador of EAC’s commitment to revitalizing private sector development.

 H.E. Mingjian lauded the Secretary General for the remarkable progress that the EAC had made under his tenure particularly in improving relations with stakeholders and pushing for private sector development.  She expressed China’s keen interest in augmenting its cooperation with EAC, adding that it would positively impact EAC products going to Chinese markets especially agricultural products. The Chinese envoy also disclosed that her country was ready to implement the process of donating vehicles to EAC to enhance its capacity. 

It is also expected that after all the years of civil strife after the death of President Mobutu, the DRC will now enjoy true and lasting peace. The feeling of camaraderie with each country acting as its neighbors’ keeper will identify and tackle early warning signs of internal conflict before they escalate into war. Ultimately, the DRC has to learn fast and align its national policies with those of its new found abode.