The DRC Membership of the East African Community National Security Concerns and Benefits for Tanzania
Main Article Content
Keywords
DRC, East African Community, Trade, Regional Integration, National Security, Terrorism, Conflict, Refugees
Abstract
On March 29, 2022, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was admitted to the East African Community as a new member. The country’s civil wars and existing terrorist groups in its Eastern parts pose a major national security concern to Tanzania and the region. The paper analyzes the existing quantitative data that describes trade volume between the DRC and the EAC with a focus on Tanzania’s benefit and national security concerns of the DRC’s membership. It analyzes the existing literature and Armed Conflict Location and Data (ACLED) tool to identify national security threats to Tanzania and the bloc at large. It finds, among others, that DRC’s membership is likely to have a positive effect on the EAC trade, as the bloc is expected to be a cheaper source for DRC’s imports compared to the rest of the world. In turn, the DRC is likely to export even more primary commodities to the region, but some EAC countries may benefit more than others in this. It also points to security dynamics.
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References
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African Union. (2021). African integration report: Putting free movement of persons at the centre of continental integration. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/41587-doc-African_Integration_Report_2021_-_Final_Design.pdf
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All Africa. (2022). East Africa: Presidents welcome DR Congo into region. All Africa. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://allafrica.com/stories/202203300044.html
Balassa, B. (1961). The theory of economic integration (Routledge Revivals) (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203805183
Buzan, B., & Wæver, O. (2003). Regions and powers: The structure of international security. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511491252
Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Spill over. Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/spill-over
Center for Preventive Action. (2022). Instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/violence-democratic-republic-congo
Cilliers, J. (2018). Manufacturing and the fourth industrial revolution: Made in Africa. Pretoria, South Africa: Institute for Security Studies.
East African Community (EAC). (2022). Communiqué on the signing of the treaty of accession of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the treaty for the establishment of the East African Community. Retrieved April 13, 2022, from https://www.eac.int/communique/2410-communiqu%C3%A9-on-the-signing-of-the-treaty-of-accession-of-the-democratic-republic-of-congo-to-the-treaty-for-the-establishment-of-the-east-africa-community
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International Monetary Fund (IMF). (2022). The Democratic Republic of the Congo. International Monetary Fund. https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400218620.002
Kambale, J. (2004). Culture: Congolese welcome Swahili as official African language. Kinshasa, DRC.
Kitenge, S. (2020). Bridging the digital divide with upskilling strategies which unlock an expert Internet of Things (IoT) workforce: A way forward for AUDA-NEPAD. Policy Brief PB-20/07 (2020). Policy Center for the New South.
Human Rights Watch. (2018). Overview of the political crisis in DR Congo and the human rights, security, and humanitarian consequences. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/04/09/overview-political-crisis-dr-congo-and-human-rights-security-and-humanitarian
Lwehabura, J. M. K., & Others. (1995). A short brief on the refugee problem and security along the Tanzania-Rwanda-Burundi border. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Office of the Prime Minister and First Vice President.
Meyer, K. (2019). Building state resilience: A response to terrorism in Southern and Eastern Africa. Conflict Trends. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://www.accord.org.za/conflict-trends/building-state-resilience
Mugume, R., & Nattabi, A. K. (2021). How will the Democratic Republic of Congo’s joining the EAC bloc affect regional trade? Research Series No. 156. Economic Policy Research Centre.
Office of the President of the United States. (n.d.). National strategy for counterterrorism of the United States of America.
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (2019). The Democratic Republic of the Congo regional refugee response plan January-December 2018, end of year report: The United Republic of Tanzania. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://reliefweb.int/report/united-republic-tanzania/democratic-republic-congo-regional-refugee-response-plan-january
OEC. (2022). Tanzania/Democratic Republic of the Congo. Observatory of Economic Complexity. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/tza/partner/cod
Parliament of Kenya. (2023). Report of the committee on regional integration on visit to semi-autonomous institutions in the East African Community in Arusha, Tanzania. Retrieved November 27, 2024, from http://www.parliament.go.ke/sites/default/files/2023-06/Report%20of%20the%20Committee%20on%20Regional%20Integration%20on%20visit%20to%20Semi-autonomous%20institutions%20of%20the%20East%20African%20Community%20in%20Arusha%2C%20Tanzania.pdf
PWC. (2018). Strengthening Africa’s gateway to trade: An analysis of port development in sub-Saharan Africa.
Rufanges, J. C., & Aspa, J. M. R. (2016). Democratic Republic of Congo: A review of 20 years of war. Escola de Cultura de Pau. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://reliefweb.int/attachments/a52b80ce-24af-3015-b3a8-0045beea1d92/A%20Review%20of%2020%20years%20of%20war.pdf
Rutinwa, B., & Kamanga, K. (2003). Impact of refugees in Northwestern Tanzania. Center for Study of Forced Migration, University of Dar es Salaam.
Saddam, R. (2019). Is the East African Community ready for another chequered member? Horn Institute. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://horninstitute.org/is-the-east-african-community-ready-for-a-new-chequered-member/
SIHMA. (2017). The African approach to regional integration and migration. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://sihma.org.za/reports/SIHMA_African-Approach-to-Regional-Integration-Migration-WEB.pdf
TanTrade. (n.d.). Trade between Tanzania and DRC. Tanzania Trade Development Authority. Retrieved November 27, 2024, from https://www.tantrade.go.tz/public/uploads/market_content/1693207605.pdf
The East African. (2022). Opportunities and burdens DR Congo brings to EAC table. The East African. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/-opportunities-and-burdens-dr-congo-brings-to-eac-table-3769482
Torraco, R. J. (2016). Writing integrative literature reviews: Using the past and present to explore the future. Human Resource Development Review, 15(4), 404–428. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484316671606
Trade Map. (2019). Bilateral trade between East African Community (EAC) and Congo, the Democratic Republic of the. Trade Map. Retrieved April 13, 2022, from https://www.trademap.org/Bilateral_TS.aspx
UNCTAD. (2018). East African Community regional integration: Trade and gender implications. Geneva: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
UNHCR. (2018a). Responding to the needs of displaced Congolese and refugees. UNHCR. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://reporting.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/2018%20Congolese%20Situation%20SB%20-%20Tanzania.pdf
UNHCR. (2018b). Congolese situation. UNHCR. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://reporting.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/2018%20Congolese%20Situation%20SB%20-%20Tanzania.pdf
United States Institute of Peace. (2019). Preventing extremism in fragile states: A new approach. Final Report of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://www.usip.org/publications/2019/02/preventing-extremism-fragile-states-new-approach
U.S. State Department. (2021). State Department terrorist designations of ISIS affiliates and leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.state.gov/state-department-terrorist-designations-of-isis-affiliates-and-leaders-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-and-mozambique/
Whitaker, B. E. (2002). Refugees in Western Tanzania: The distribution of burdens and benefits among local hosts. Journal of Refugee Studies, 15(4), 339–358. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/15.4.339
World Bank. (2020). Country profile: Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://databank.worldbank.org/views/reports/reportwidget.aspx?Report_Name=CountryProfile&Id=b450fd57&tbar=y&dd=y&inf=n&zm=n&country=COD
World Bank. (2022). The World Bank is helping to fight poverty and improve living standards for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo through education, energy, health, and other social services. World Bank. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/drc/overview#1
World Trade Organization (WTO). (2018). Trade and poverty reduction: Evidence from developing countries. Geneva: World Trade Organization.
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The DRC Membership of the East African Community: National Security Concerns and Benefits for Tanzania. (2025). African Journal of Political Science, 13(1), 51-66. https://doi.org/10.36615/2dxtsk11
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The DRC Membership of the East African Community: National Security Concerns and Benefits for Tanzania. (2025). African Journal of Political Science, 13(1), 51-66. https://doi.org/10.36615/2dxtsk11