President Paul Kagame yesterday called on regional governments and the private sector to work together to achieve meaningful integration.

The President made the remarks at a dinner with private business leaders in Kampala, yesterday.

The Regional Business Forum dinner was also attended by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and the host Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

President Kagame called for proper planning and execution of agreed projects with a sense of urgency.

"As you realize every time we meet whether it’s under this northern corridor initiative projects or in other meetings, we find ourselves saying the right things but repeating them most of the time,” Kagame said.

"That means that we are only doing that to remind ourselves that there are certain things we need to be doing that we probably haven’t been doing or we are very slow on.”

Kagame emphasized concerted efforts from governments and the private sector in solving the problem of bureaucrats who delay planned projects.

"This is an opportunity to work together to realise the objectives of the EAC which is integration. There has to be a sense of urgency with everything we do as a bloc and a region. There is enough political will we just have to leverage it and use it to get things done,” Kagame said.

President Kenyatta assured the participants of support from the governments, including financing.

"Whatever the private sector can do, the Government will create a conducive environment and leverage pension funds so as to take our economies to the next level, so as to maintain a bright future for our children.”

President Museveni urged member countries to support the private sector and involve them in making key decisions that will enable the region to grow further.

The private businesses dinner, is part of 10th Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) Summit that proceeds today.