SPLM IO Welcomes Admission Of South Sudan To EAC

By Ariik Atekdit

JUBA, 04 March 2016 [Gurtong] – The Leadership of SPLM in Opposition, Dr Riek Machar has welcomed the final admission of South Sudan to the East Africa Community but says there is need for the country’s population to participate in decision making and vote for a referendum whether to join or not.

In a press release signed by Mabior Garang, SPLM-IO Chairman for Information and Public Relations Committee, it explains that the world’s newest country will benefit from the East Africa Community greatly especially in the field of capacity building and trade.

“The admission of the Republic of South Sudan into the East Africa Community shall assist South Sudan in the areas of capacity building, sharing of experiences and trade. The SPLM/A (in opposition) call on the administration of President Salva Kiir to put this decision through the legislative process and a referendum.  This will ensure that the people of South Sudan truly involved in the decision and shall help in the process of sensitizing the civil population about the benefits of unity with the EAC,” Mabior said.

“The leadership of the SPLM/SPLA (IO) welcomes the admission of the Republic of South Sudan into the EAC as a member of EAC as stated in the communiqué of the 17th Ordinary Summit of the East African Community Heads of State, held in Arusha, Tanzania on the 2nd of March 2016.”

Mabior said the people of the Republic of South Sudan share with sisterly countries of EAC a common history of struggle and admission of South Sudan is in harmony with this historical experience.

In 2011, immediately after its independence, South Sudan applied to the bloc to be admitted as a member State in the region.