EAC Council of Ministers Vets South Sudan Application - AllAfrica.com

On Wednesday, the 24th Extraordinary Meeting of the East African Community's Council of Ministers will discuss and set up a verification committee to probe if South Sudan meets the criteria to join the bloc.

This is on the back of the Heads of State summit in November that requested the council to review South Sudan's application.

Speaking to The New Times, the Minister in charge of EAC Affairs, Monique Mukaruliza noted it was prudent for the community to determine if Africa's newest nation meets the criteria.

"We shall put up the committee that will go to South Sudan and verify if really they meet the criteria of joining the community as stipulated in the treaty," she said.

Mukaruliza further mentioned that if Juba meets the requirements, a High level negotiating team will be created to discuss the criteria for joining the other five member countries.

Article 3 (3) of the EAC Treaty sets out conditions for membership including adherence to universally acceptable principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice.

It stipulates that for a country to be allowed as a member, it should be able to contribute towards the strengthening of integration within the region; geographical proximity to and inter-dependence between it and the partner states besides establishment and maintenance of a market driven economy.

However as Salva Kirr is pushing to join the bloc, his new state is currently besieged by economic wars with neighbour, Sudan over the oil reserves of Heglig.

However, yesterday, US president Barrack Obama, in a statement, said there is no military solution to the conflict, urging the two nations to push for negotiations.

"The government of Sudan must stop its military actions, including aerial bombardments. It must give aid workers the access they need to save lives. And it must end its support for armed groups inside the South," he said.

"Likewise, the government of South Sudan must end its support for armed groups inside Sudan, and it must cease its military actions across the border."