Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have released over 50 Somali citizens who were detained in the city of Lubumbashi following a recent security crackdown targeting foreigners.
The individuals were arrested earlier this month during an immigration-related security operation.
Confirming the news to TRT Afrika, Somalia’s non-resident Ambassador to the DRC, Ilyas Ali Hassan, stated that the individuals had been wrongfully arrested.
Their release came just three days after Ambassador Hassan, who also serves as Somalia’s Ambassador to Tanzania, met with DRC leaders and submitted an official request on behalf of the Somali government.
“We thank the leadership of our friendly government of Congo, as well as the Somali community in Congo,” Ambassador Hassan said.
The Ambassador also commended the Somali community in the DRC for upholding a positive reputation by obeying the host country’s laws and urged them to continue to adhere to local regulations while respecting the DRC’s sovereignty.
EAC Integration
The incident occurs against a backdrop of deepening ties between the two nations and Somalia’s recent integration into the East African Community (EAC).
Somalia officially became the bloc’s 8th Partner State in March 2024, joining Burundi, the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Despite its membership, Somali citizens have continued to experience visa and movement restrictions within the EAC bloc.
The Somali government hopes that friendly neighboring countries will create a conducive atmosphere to allow for the full integration of its citizens to trade and transact with their regional business counterparts.
The successful and swift resolution of the detentions in Lubumbashi the DRC’s second-largest city and a key economic hub, highlights the growing economic relationship between the two countries, which has seen increased ties in logistics, transport, petroleum, and hospitality in recent years.
