President Salva Kiir has signed into law the Treaty Establishing the East African Community Act 2026.

This marks a significant step toward South Sudan’s full accession to the regional bloc.

The signing ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, was witnessed by the Speaker of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, Hon. Joseph Ngere Paciko; the Speaker of the Council of States, Daniel Akot Akot; and the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Planning, Michael Ayuen Johnson.

Under South Sudanese law, a bill passed by the National Legislature only becomes an Act after receiving presidential assent.

The new law seeks to domesticate the Treaty establishing the East African Community and its protocols into South Sudan’s national legislation.

It grants full legal effect to the country’s obligations under the Treaty, integrating it into the national legal framework as provided under Chapter 1, Article 3.

This development confirms that South Sudan has met the legal requirements for accession, including its commitments under the EAC Customs Union framework.