DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — Somalia has been formally authorised to adopt and begin producing the East African Community (EAC) passport, marking a significant step in its integration into the bloc’s regional mobility framework.
The approval was handed over on Tuesday during a ceremony in Dar es Salaam 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 authorisation allows Somalia to adopt and print the standardised EAC passport, a travel document recognised across member states aimed at facilitating freer movement, regional cooperation and economic integration.
“I had the honour to hand over the official decision authorising Somalia to adopt and print the EAC passport to Abdullahi Sh. Ismail “Fartaag,” Minister of Internal Security, and Mustafa Sheikh Ahmed Dhuhulow, Director General of Immigration and Citizenship,” he said.
He added: “This marks another important diplomatic milestone in strengthening regional integration and facilitating the movement of EAC citizens.”
Aligning with regional standards
Somalia officially joined the East African Community in 2023, becoming the bloc’s eighth member alongside Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The adoption of the EAC passport signals Somalia’s practical alignment with regional systems governing travel documentation, border management and citizen mobility.
Before issuance begins, Mogadishu must complete technical and administrative preparations, including upgrading immigration infrastructure, aligning security features with EAC standards, establishing biometric compliance systems and coordinating recognition procedures with partner states.
The EAC passport, introduced in 1999 and later upgraded to an e-passport format, is designed to ease cross-border movement within the bloc while enhancing security features consistent with international aviation and border control requirements.
Somalia–Tanzania immigration pact
The development comes a day after Somalia and Tanzania signed a memorandum of understanding on immigration cooperation.
The agreement introduces visa-on-arrival arrangements for holders of diplomatic and service passports and outlines streamlined entry procedures for eligible travellers using ordinary passports under agreed conditions.
Under the framework, travellers meeting specified criteria may enter either country without a prior visa for designated visits.
A visa-on-arrival mechanism will also be available for business travellers, students and other visitors requiring entry authorisation at approved ports of entry.
Officials said the memorandum establishes coordination channels between immigration authorities, including mechanisms for information sharing, policy review and joint oversight to address operational challenges during implementation.
Broader regional implications
The authorisation reflects Somalia’s ongoing efforts to deepen engagement with regional institutions following years of diplomatic rebuilding and security stabilisation.
For the EAC, expanding passport adoption strengthens the bloc’s long-term goal of establishing a fully functional Common Market, which guarantees the free movement of goods, labour, services and capital across member states.
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However, analysts note that while the EAC passport facilitates travel, full mobility depends on the harmonisation of immigration procedures, security cooperation and political trust among member governments.
For Somali citizens, the practical impact will depend on how swiftly the country can operationalise printing and distribution systems and whether member states implement reciprocal entry measures effectively.
Governments from both Somalia and Tanzania say the new arrangements aim to reduce administrative barriers that have historically complicated travel between the two countries, while encouraging trade, educational exchange and professional mobility.
As Somalia advances within the East African bloc, the rollout of the EAC passport will be viewed as a tangible indicator of its regional integration trajectory.
