EAC mobilised Shs9 trillion for infrastructure projects
Part of the Entebbe-Kampala expressway that was commissioned last year. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
Over Shs370b was mobilised from various development partners to support various projects and programmes in the Community, Dorothy Nakaweesi writes.
The East African Community in the year ending 2018, mobilised over Shs9.6 trillion which saw the region accomplish several development projects.
Because of this these achievements EAC earned international recognition as the top performing Regional Economic Community (REC) on regional integration overall by internationally renowned institutions like the African Development Bank and the World Bank.
Delivering the Secretary ‘General’s 2019’ address last week, EAC Secretary General Mr Liberat Mfumukeko said the region set a record in resource mobilisation.
He disclosed that over $100m (Shs370b) was mobilised from various development partners to support various projects and programmes in the Community.
“EAC and USAID signed a $20.5m (Shs75b) agreement for energy projects. This is in addition to the more than $200m (Shs740bn) mobilised from USAID in the previous two and a half years,” Mfumukeko shared.
Infrastructure
Furthermore, he said the African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Development Fund (ADF) approved $2.5bn (Shs9.2 trillion) for the implementation of new and ongoing priority infrastructure projects in the EAC region.
Breakdown the sectorial achievements made in the EAC integration process in 2018, Mfumukeko said partner states continued implementing road and railway projects in the Central and Northern Corridors including the Arusha-Tengeru Dual Carriageway and Bypass Road.
“Both roads are part of the Multinational Arusha - Holili/Taveta - Voi Road, which is a successor of the Arusha - Namanga - Athi River Road, both of which have been completed,” he shared.
Upgrading the 37Km Ntungamo to Mirama Hills Road to bitumen standard has significantly improved access for freight and passenger services between Uganda and Rwanda, and lowered transport costs on the Kampala-Kigali route.
Feasibility studies and detailed designs for two multinational road projects have been completed. (i) The first multinational road project will link Tanzania and Burundi through Nyakanazi –Kasulu /Rumonge – Bujumbura.
At the same time, the EAC raised over $340 million (Shs1.2 trillion) from the African Development Bank for construction of the second road links Tanzania and Rwanda through Lusahunga –Rusumo / Kayonza – Kigali.
In addition, the EAC has provided support to the successful implementation of the Lake Tanganyika Transport Programme which will yield numerous benefits for the riparian states and the communities around the lake.
He added that the EAC through institutions such as Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) and Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO), is implementing numerous projects on Lake Victoria to improve port infrastructure, navigation safety, fisheries and to fight pollution of the Lake.
Industries
Last year, the region was able to commence the process of launching an East Africa Automotive Industry platform as a way of implementing the EAC action plan for the automotive sector.
EAC similarly developed draft strategies for cotton, textiles, and leather sectors that will serve as policy instruments to reverse dependency on export of raw cotton and hides and skins.
