Kenya and Uganda have agreed to enhance their connectivity and trade by establishing two new border crossings and constructing dual carriageways along the Northern Corridor, a vital trade route in East Africa.
The Northern Corridor links Kenya to its landlocked neighbours Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the busiest and most important transport and trade corridor in the region, carrying over 90% of the cargo from the port of Mombasa.
However, the corridor faces many challenges, such as congestion, delays, insecurity, poor infrastructure and high costs. These affect the efficiency and competitiveness of the corridor and hamper the economic development and integration of the region.
To address these issues, Kenya and Uganda have signed a joint agreement to build two new border crossings in Busia, at Mulwadda and Buteba, and a dual carriageway on the Northern Corridor route. The agreement was signed by Peninah Malonza, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the East African Community (EAC), and Rebecca Kadaga, Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC Affairs, on Friday.
The new border crossings will ease the pressure on the existing ones at Busia and Malaba, which often experience long queues and delays. According to the Northern Corridor Transport Observatory, the average time to cross the border at Busia was 2.5 hours in 2023, while at Malaba it was 3.8 hours. The new crossings will also facilitate the movement of small-scale traders, who will benefit from the simplified trade regime.
The dual carriageway will improve the road infrastructure and reduce the traffic congestion along the corridor. It will run from Eldoret and Kisumu in Kenya to Mukono in Uganda. The project is expected to boost the trade and transit of goods and services in the region, especially to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is a major market for Kenyan and Ugandan products.
The agreement is part of the broader efforts by the EAC to promote regional integration and cooperation. The EAC is a regional bloc comprising six countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. The bloc aims to create a common market, a customs union, a monetary union and ultimately a political federation.
The EAC has also initiated other projects to improve connectivity and trade in the region, such as the Standard Gauge Railway, the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor, and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.
The leaders of Kenya and Uganda have expressed their commitment to strengthening their bilateral relations and enhancing the welfare of their citizens. They have also agreed to hold regular ministerial meetings and to sensitize the stakeholders on the benefits of the EAC integration process.
The agreement is a positive step towards achieving the vision of a smart, sustainable, economic and competitive trade and transport corridor in East Africa.
Source: Business Insider Africa
