Conflict-weary Somalia on Friday became the eighth member of the East African Community (EAC) in a move hailed as a milestone for the troubled nation.
Somalia's population of 17 million will boost the EAC's market as the bloc seeks to expand free trade across Africa.
But Somalia's admission could cause security jitters for the bloc as the country is struggling to put down a deadly insurgency by the Islamist militant Al-Shabaab group.
Somalia's stalled offensive against the group has raised concerns about the government's capacity to crush the 16-year insurrection.
The country has also been embroiled in disputes with its neighbours - Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya - sometimes leading to a breakdown in diplomatic relations.
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