Somalia has officially joined the East African Community (EAC) passport system, becoming the seventh member state to adopt the regional travel document. The milestone is expected to ease cross-border movement, promote trade, and deepen regional integration among member countries.
The approval was formally handed over on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam during a ceremony attended by Somalia’s Ambassador to Tanzania and the EAC, Ilyas Ali Hassan, Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail, and Immigration Director General Mustafa Dhuhulow.
The ambassador presented the authorisation document, granting Somalia the green light to produce a passport that will be recognised across all EAC member states.
With this development, Somalia joins Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, countries whose citizens already use the EAC passport. The regional travel document is designed to facilitate easier mobility within the bloc, supporting economic cooperation, tourism, education, and professional exchanges.
As reported by Business Insider Africa, officials described the move as a major step in Somalia’s reintegration into regional frameworks and its efforts to align immigration systems with EAC standards. Ambassador Ilyas noted that the approval marks another milestone in facilitating the movement of citizens across partner states and strengthening institutional cooperation.
Following the authorisation, Somalia will now begin technical and administrative preparations for issuing the passport. This includes upgrading immigration systems, establishing secure printing procedures, and coordinating recognition mechanisms with partner states once issuance begins.
The development also comes after Somalia and Tanzania signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on immigration cooperation.
The agreement introduces visa-on-arrival arrangements for holders of diplomatic and service passports and simplifies entry requirements for ordinary travellers under agreed conditions, aiming to reduce administrative barriers and boost regional trade and mobility.
