East African Community ministers are meeting Arusha Tanzania to consider the application by Sudan to join East African Community.
The meeting expected to end on Friday follows a June 2011 letter by Sudan's President Omar Al Bashir to join East African Community.
Richard Owora, the Head; Corporate Communications Department at the EAC said that the ministers will consider the request sent to Burundi President, Pierre Nkuruziza now the current Chairperson of the Summit of East African Community Heads of State.
Omar Al Bashir’s application has been viewed as a test to the East African Community council of Ministers and Heads of States because it does not share a boarder with one of the fives states in East African Community.
The newly established Republic of Southern Sudan had applied to joint the EAC in 2010 but its application was not accepted because it was not an independent state.
The Juba administration was yet re-apply at the time when Omar Al Bashir sent a request.
The EAC treaty requires among other issues geographical proximity to and inter dependence between or among the communities as one of the criteria for expansion of membership.
Sudan the richest African Oil producing country may basing on its economic might under the provision of the treaty which consider an applicants contribution to possible strengthening of integration with East Africa.
Owora in an interview says the EAC ministers are expected to communicate their position to Summit of East African Community Heads of State which has powers to admit new partner states.
