Somalia has formally become the seventh member of the East African Community to issue the regional passport. The initiative is set to facilitate cross-border travel, enhance trade, and promote closer regional integration.
The authorisation for Somalia to issue the East African Community passport was officially handed over on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam. The ceremony was 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.
During the event, Ambassador Hassan formally presented the approval document, authorising Somalia to produce a passport recognised across all EAC member states. The current countries issuing the EAC passport are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
“This is a key moment for Somalia and its engagement with regional institutions,” Hassan said, noting that the handover reflects efforts to align Somalia’s travel systems with EAC standards and further ease the movement of citizens across the bloc.
With the green light, Somalia can now begin the technical and administrative work to roll out the passport. This involves updating immigration systems to meet regional standards, setting up production processes, and coordinating with partner states for recognition once issuance begins.
The announcement follows a recent memorandum of understanding signed between Somalia and Tanzania on immigration cooperation. The agreement introduces visa-on-arrival for diplomatic and service passport holders and simplifies entry for ordinary travellers under agreed conditions.
Officials said the framework will lower administrative barriers and boost trade, education, and professional exchanges.
The MoU also establishes mechanisms for coordination between immigration authorities, including information sharing, review of implementation, and resolving operational challenges to ensure smoother cross-border movement.