EAC looks to railway link to support growth

KAMPALA - Consultations are underway to see how the five East African Community (EAC) countries can have a single railway link. This was disclosed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni during a State of the Nation address to the neighbouring country’s Parliament on Thursday. “We have so far met with Kenyan and Tanzanian leaders about the construction of a more efficient railway link,” Museveni said. He said that if constructed, the railway will be the backbone of trade and development of the EAC member states since infrastructure is a priority area of development for successful regional integration programmes. Museveni said that donors are willing to fund such a project if it is well planned. Rwanda intends to extend the railway line from Tanzania to Kigali, which could eventually be extended further to most Comesa member states. Recently, EAC ministers of Infrastructure met in Kampala, Uganda, to explore ways of improving the transport system and infrastructure in the region. A railway project is planned to start in 2009 with funding from the World Bank and the African Development Bank. With good roads and a railway network, Museveni said that investors will be lured to East Africa thus boosting the region’s economy. Museveni acknowledged the pace at which the EAC is growing despite some setbacks that have affected trade recently. “Despite the obstacles we have faced recently like the Kenyan violence, increasing oil and food prices, our economies have undergone tremendous growth,” Museveni observed. He highlighted the need to create more energy sources, explaining that by doing so EAC members can tremendously cut energy spending, and concentrate on other pressing needs such as value addition to export produce. “With our coffee processed, we save $4.5 on each kilogramme of coffee we send to western countries; we donate to them and not them donating to us,” said Museveni. Museveni also attacked the media for concentrating more on negative publicity than developmental concerns, saying that the media is capable of painting a bad image since anything reported can find its way to the internet worldwide. He also said that regional groupings like Comesa and the EAC have started bearing fruit. On security, he said that calm had returned to the region though Kony still remains a nuisance. Museveni said that since Kony was adamant to sign a peace deal with the Government which could give him a soft landing, he will be dealt with, with extreme force. Rwanda’s Ambassador to Uganda, Ignatius Kamali Karegyesa, was among diplomats who attended the function. Ends

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EAC looks to railway link to support growth