The creation of new countries is rare and can be problematic, but that doesn’t stop some from trying to achieve it. One of the largest and most likely to be established in the near future is the East African Federation (EAF).

AEP is not a new idea. Its origin actually dates back to the early 1960s, although some of the states that were then vying to participate in the EPA no longer exist.

The initial formation that would disband to form the EAF were Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Tanganyika and Zanzibar no longer exist, the pair uniting to form Tanzania in 1964.

Now, the EAF would include eight states: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Somalia and Uganda.

With an area of ​​2,104,147 square miles, the EAF would be the second largest country on the continent and the seventh largest in the world, surpassing India. It would also span the width of the African continent, with coastlines facing the Indian Ocean to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.

The new country would have about 350 million people, about 15 million more than the United States. Gross GDP per capita would be $2,991 (£2,315).

Additionally, if passed, the EAF would have a GDP of around $275 billion (£212 billion). This would make it one of the largest economies in Africa. Only South Africa, with $401 billion (£310 billion), and Egypt, with $348 billion (£269 billion), would be larger.

There are, however, some major obstacles.

There are tensions between Rwanda and Burundi. In January 2024, the border was closed and the British government strongly advises British nationals not to travel there as it is too dangerous.

There are also dangers associated with traveling between the borders of the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda. “The eastern part of DRC near the Rwandan border remains unstable and conflict may arise without warning,” the British Foreign Office website states.

If the AEP is to take place, it is likely that these tensions will need to be eased.