The resumption of direct flights between Somalia and Tanzania, together with the reopening of the Somali embassy in Dar es Salaam, might seem like routine diplomatic matters. In truth, these developments signal something much bigger – a new, more practical way to build East African unity.
Somalia is often seen as the Sick Man of East Africa, recovering from decades of war and struggling to rebuild its economy. But its decision to engage Tanzania directly, cutting out layovers in Nairobi and Addis Ababa, sends a powerful message: Somalia wants to fully participate in the region’s economy.
It’s a bold move. And Tanzania’s warm welcome shows that this isn’t just a formality. It’s a fresh start.
While regional integration through the EAC is often delayed by politics and paperwork, bilateral ties like this show that real progress doesn’t always need everyone at the table at once. Somalia and Tanzania are proving that two countries can lead — and in doing so, pull others along.
Somalia and Tanzania are also proving that regional unity can begin with simple steps — like reopening an embassy or just unpolitical moves; they’re decisions that impact on people at all levels — students seeking education, traders moving goods, and families reconnecting.
For good measure, their cooperation is going beyond flights. They’re setting up a Joint Ministerial Commission and a Parliamentary Friendship Committee. These sound like technical bodies, but they matter. They are about accountability, helping turn good intentions into real results — in trade, security, education, and even agriculture.
Tanzania, often silent in regional politics, is stepping up by treating Somalia not as a burden but as a partner. Somalia’s recent entry into the EAC raised doubts: What can a nation still stabilising itself really contribute? That partnership is a good response to that question.
Still, there’s a long way to go. Symbolic steps like these are important, but not enough. The EAC must go further — removing visa, digital networks, and trade rules to fully include Somalia.
Yes, Somalia comes with challenges. But it also brings opportunities: a coastline, a hungry market, and a strong diaspora. The EAC’s real test is whether it can support Somalia’s growth while staying true to its vision of unity.
For now, Somalia and Tanzania are showing what’s possible when two countries choose trust over doubts. The rest of the region should take notes.
Isaac Mwangi writes on social, political and economic issues in East Africa. E-mail: isaacmwmangi@gmail.com
