EAC states renew commitment to accelerate SGR project

Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have agreed to step up fund mobilization to accelerate the development of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on SGR held in Mombasa, Kenya, on Friday.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the transport ministers of the four counties reaffirmed their commitment to accelerate the completion of the remaining sections of the SGR from Naivasha in Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Specifically, Kenya committed to resuming construction of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba and Kisumu-Malaba SGR sections from July and September 2024, respectively.

Uganda is also expected to begin construction of Malaba-Kampala in September, subject to resource availability, and is in the final stages of negotiations with the proposed contractor, Yapi Merkezi, with the contract expected to be signed by the end of this year. month.

Uganda’s Minister of State for Transport, Fred Byamukama, representing the Minister of Public Works and Chairman of the Joint Ministerial Committee on SGR, General Edward Katumba Wamala, emphasized the countries’ commitment to the project.

“We have agreed to jointly raise funds because this railway line does not end in a single country. Once we jointly secure funds and also use the same contractors, the work will go smoothly,” he said in an interview.

“We are committed to accelerating the development of the SGR project to improve regional transportation integration and promote economic growth. This project will have a transformative impact on the economic development of our region, and we are committed to ensuring its successful implementation,” he added. .

Kenya’s Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said they are in talks with the private sector and EXIM Bank to take up some of the financing.

The remaining stretch of the Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba line is estimated to cost the country around $5.3 billion.

“The SGR dream is underway. Like Kenya, we will tap into the private sector now, and I know that the project we have from Naivasha to Malaba, including improvements around Kisumu port, will cost the country around $5.3 billion” said Mr. Kipchumba.

“We are in discussions with the private sector to see if we can structure an agreement for them to take on the large burden on very reasonable and favorable terms so that we can continue with the project.”

Ministers welcomed commitments from partner states to commence construction of several SGR routes including Naivasha-Kisumu-Malaba, Malaba-Kampala, Kampala-Bihanga-Kasese-Mpondwe leading to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bihanga-Mirama Hills leading to Rwanda, Tororo-Gulu- Nimule leading to South Sudan, and Gulu-Pakwach-Vurra leading to the Democratic Republic of Congo, after securing funding for the Malaba-Kampala SGR section.

Jimmy Gasore, Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure, emphasized the need to maintain SGR as a regional project.

“We have reiterated our need to coordinate and package this project as a regional project so that we can develop in harmony. For example, it will not help us develop our section i.e. Kigali-Mirama Hills, if Naivasha to Malaba and Malaba-Kampala- Mirama Hills is not developed,” Gasore said.

The ministers highlighted the progress made so far, including the completion of the Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha SGR section, which is fully operational, and the harmonization of technical specifications and standards for SGR by Kenya and Uganda.

Mr Amb Richard Kabonero, coordinator of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) for Uganda, said the SGR is a critical artery at the heart of the region’s efforts to reduce transport costs and make East Africa be competitive.

“We are working intensely ahead of the 15th Summit of Heads of State to reactivate the momentum we had in the past,” he added.

The European Union delegation in Uganda has been supporting the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the NCIP coordination efforts.

Ministers also agreed to establish a framework for the cross-border maintenance of SGR assets and facilities, harmonize the planning and development of inland water transport infrastructure and accelerate the review of the Tripartite Agreement on Water Transport in Lake Victoria. According to the joint statement, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has committed to consent to and ratify the existing SGR protocol and the SGR Tripartite Agreement.

The Ugandan delegation at the meeting also included Mr. Benon Kajuna, Director of Transport at the Ministry of Public Works; Ambassador Paul Mukumbya, Consul General of the Ugandan Consulate in Mombasa; Evans Aryabaha, Chargé d’Affaires of the Ugandan High Commission in Nairobi, among other senior government officials.