South Sudan

=== East African Community membership ===
The presidents of Kenya and Rwanda invited the [[Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan]] to apply for membership to the [[East African Community]] upon the independence of South Sudan in 2011,<ref name="en.igihe.com">{{cite news|url=http://en.igihe.com/spip.php?article455|agency=IGIHE|title=South Sudan: Big trading potential for EAC|date=8 July 2011|access-date=9 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111173803/http://en.igihe.com/spip.php?article455|archive-date=11 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201107090046.html|agency=allAfrica|date=8 July 2011|access-date=9 July 2011|title=South Sudan: Rwanda Hopeful of South's Strategic Link to North Africa|first=Magnus|last=Mazimpaka|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711130747/http://allafrica.com/stories/201107090046.html|archive-date=11 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> and South Sudan was reportedly an applicant country as of mid-July 2011.<ref name="en.igihe.com" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.busiweek.com/11/editorial/editorial/1316-welcome-south-sudan-to-eac|agency=East African Business Week|title=Welcome South Sudan to EAC!|date=10 July 2011|access-date=10 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927010848/http://www.busiweek.com/11/editorial/editorial/1316-welcome-south-sudan-to-eac|archive-date=27 September 2011}}</ref> Analysts suggested that South Sudan's early efforts to integrate infrastructure, including [[rail transport in South Sudan|rail links]] and oil pipelines,<ref>{{cite news|title=South Sudan to link to Kenya oil pipeline|url=https://af.reuters.com/article/sudanNews/idAFLAE63689720110706|access-date=19 October 2011|newspaper=Reuters|date=6 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514061706/http://af.reuters.com/article/sudanNews/idAFLAE63689720110706|archive-date=14 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> with systems in Kenya and Uganda indicated intention on the part of [[Juba, South Sudan|Juba]] to pivot away from dependence on [[Sudan]] and toward the EAC.

On 17 September 2011, the ''[[Daily Nation]]'' quoted a South Sudanese MP as saying that while his government was eager to join the EAC, it would likely delay its membership over concerns that its economy was not sufficiently developed to compete with EAC member states and could become a "dumping ground" for Kenyan, Tanzanian, and Ugandan exports.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/South+Sudan+delays+membership+in+regional+bloc++/-/1066/1238078/-/s3w8wbz/-/|agency=Daily Nation|first=Machel|last=Amos|title=South Sudan delays membership in regional bloc|date=17 September 2011|access-date=18 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018020405/http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/South+Sudan+delays+membership+in+regional+bloc++/-/1066/1238078/-/s3w8wbz/-/|archive-date=18 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> This was contradicted by President [[Salva Kiir]], who announced South Sudan had officially embarked on the application process one month later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.busiweek.com/11/the-eac-issues/eac-news/1891-south-sudan-readies-for-eac-membership|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021011844/http://www.busiweek.com/11/the-eac-issues/eac-news/1891-south-sudan-readies-for-eac-membership|url-status=dead|title=South Sudan readies for EAC membership|archive-date=21 October 2011}}</ref> The application was initially deferred by the EAC in December 2012,<ref name=SS2EAC>{{cite news|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/africa/2013-09/10/c_132705919.htm|title=Uganda says South Sudan likely to join EAC in 2014|agency=Xinhua News Agency|date=9 September 2013|access-date=17 October 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114233621/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/africa/2013-09/10/c_132705919.htm|archive-date=14 November 2013}}</ref> and incidents with Ugandan [[boda-boda]] operators in South Sudan created political tension.<ref name=UQSS2EAC>{{cite news|url=http://www.theafricareport.com/East-Horn-Africa/ugandan-mps-oppose-south-sudan-joining-east-african-community.html|title=Ugandan MPs oppose South Sudan joining East African community|agency=The Africa Report|date=7 October 2013|access-date=17 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018075530/http://www.theafricareport.com/East-Horn-Africa/ugandan-mps-oppose-south-sudan-joining-east-african-community.html|archive-date=18 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

In December 2012, Tanzania officially agreed to South Sudan's bid to join the EAC, clearing the way for the world's newest state to become the regional bloc's sixth member.<ref name="Tanzania warms up to South Sudan">{{cite news|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Tanzania-warms-up-to-South-Sudan-membership-/-/2558/1639636/-/viwjrjz/-/index.html|title=Tanzania warms up to South Sudan membership|agency=The EastAfrican|date=8 December 2012|access-date=21 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201224927/https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Tanzania-warms-up-to-South-Sudan-membership-/-/2558/1639636/-/viwjrjz/-/index.html|archive-date=1 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2013, the EAC set aside $82,000 for the admission process. Starting after the EAC Council of Ministers meeting in August 2013, was projected to take at least four years. At the 14th Ordinary Summit held in Nairobi in 2012, EAC heads of state approved the verification report that was presented by the Council of Ministers, then directed it to start the negotiation process with South Sudan.<ref name="EAC prepares to admit South Sudan">{{cite news|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/EAC-prepares-to-admit-South-Sudan--/-/2558/1849526/-/ao63gfz/-/index.html|title=EAC prepares to admit South Sudan|agency=The EastAfrican|date=11 May 2013|access-date=21 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201224932/https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/EAC-prepares-to-admit-South-Sudan--/-/2558/1849526/-/ao63gfz/-/index.html|archive-date=1 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

A team was formed to assess South Sudan's bid; however, in April 2014, the nation requested a delay in the admissions process, presumably due to [[South Sudanese Civil War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201312051231.html|title=allAfrica.com: East Africa: EAC to Decide On South Sudan Admission by April 2014|work=allAfrica.com|access-date=9 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518125004/http://allafrica.com/stories/201312051231.html|archive-date=18 May 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=observer>{{cite web|title=South Sudan defers EAC admission|url=http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31578:-south-sudan-defers-eac-admission&catid=34:news&Itemid=114|work=The Observer | date=5 May 2014 |access-date=11 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512222918/http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31578:-south-sudan-defers-eac-admission&catid=34:news&Itemid=114|archive-date=12 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

South Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, claimed publicly in October 2015 that, following unpublished evaluations and meetings of a special technical committee in May, June, August, September and October, the committee has recommended that South Sudan be allowed to join the East African Community.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201511090602.html|title=East Africa: South Sudan's Push to Join EAC Gains Momentum|date=7 November 2015|access-date=14 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117022557/http://allafrica.com/stories/201511090602.html|archive-date=17 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

South Sudan was eventually approved for membership in [[East African Community]] in March 2016,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/business/South-Sudan-admitted-into-EAC/996-3100314-acaobi/index.html|title=South Sudan joins East African regional bloc|website=Daily Nation|access-date=31 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418043232/https://www.nation.co.ke/business/South-Sudan-admitted-into-EAC/996-3100314-acaobi/index.html|archive-date=18 April 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and formally acceded with the signature of the treaty in April 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eac.int/news-and-media/statements/20160415/communique-signing-ceremony-treaty-accession-republic-south-sudan-east-african-community|title=COMMUNIQUÉ: SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE TREATY OF ACCESSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN INTO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY|date=15 April 2016|access-date=15 April 2016|publisher=East African Community|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424032901/http://www.eac.int/news-and-media/statements/20160415/communique-signing-ceremony-treaty-accession-republic-south-sudan-east-african-community|archive-date=24 April 2016}}</ref>