Uganda- Progress on Northern Corridor Integration Projects: Rwanda Convenes Virtual National Coordinators’ Meeting

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIPs) National Coordinators’ Virtual Meeting held on 10th July 2024. This significant meeting, convened by Ms. Clementine Mukeka the National Coordinator and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda, demonstrated the commitment of the NCIPs member states to regional infrastructural development and cooperation.

The meeting, chaired by Ms. Clementine Mukeka, brought together key representatives from the NCIPs member states, including Dr Alice Yalla, Secretary for East African Community Integration representing Mr. Abdi Dubat the, National Coordinator of NCIPs and Principal Secretary of State Department for East African Community of the Republic of Kenya; Hon. Biel Jock Thuch, National Coordinator for Northern Corridor of the Republic of South Sudan; and Amb. Richard Kabonero, National Coordinator of the Republic of Uganda.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Clementine Mukeka emphasized the importance of assessing the progress of various NCIPs clusters, implementation statuses, and joint frameworks. She reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to hosting the 15th Summit of NCIPs and called for active engagement and collaboration among member states. The agenda for the meeting was adopted without amendments, ensuring a focused and productive session.

Dr Alice Yalla on behalf of the National Coordinator of Kenya highlighted Kenya’s achievements over the past decade and expressed optimism about the future of NCIPs. She emphasized the importance of continued multilateral cooperation to address development challenges and open new markets.

Hon. Biel Jock Thuch, expressed his eagerness to contribute to the NCIPs initiatives and looked forward to strengthening collaboration with other member states. He acknowledged the economic challenges faced by South Sudan but reaffirmed their commitment to addressing these issues.

Amb. Richard Kabonero, Natioal Coordinator for Uganda, in his remarks, extended gratitude to Rwanda for hosting the meeting amidst their busy election period. He recalled the bilateral NCIP Consultative meetings in Kigali and Nairobi, emphasizing the revived commitment to NCIPs and infrastructure projects. Amb. Kabonero provided a comprehensive update on the progress of clusters coordinated by Uganda, highlighting significant achievements in ICT and Infrastructure Development, Standard Gauge Railways (SGR), Project Financing and Private Sector Participation, and Oil Refinery Development.

Uganda, as the Chair and Coordinator of these clusters, has made notable progress. The ICT and Infrastructure Development Cluster has operationalized the One Network Area (ONA) for voice, data, and SMS, significantly increasing traffic among Member States. There has also been progress in cross-border broadband interconnectivity and the commitment to the development of regional satellite communication. The SGR Cluster has seen the operationalization of the Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha section, with further construction plans in place especially commencing construction of Malaba- Kampala Section by December 2024 as Signing of the Contract with Yapi Merkezi expected at the end of July 2024. Efforts in Project Financing and Private Sector Participation, as well as Oil Refinery Development, are ongoing, with regional meetings scheduled to ensure continuous progress.

Discussions during the meeting also covered the implementation of joint Memoranda of Understanding (MoU’s) and frameworks in line with NCIPs, including the single tourist visa, ONA MoU, and the Defense and Security Act. Member states reaffirmed their commitment to these agreements and discussed innovative approaches to enhance collaboration.

In her closing remarks, Ms. Mukeka expressed appreciation for the active participation and productive engagements. She highlighted the importance of frequent communication among focal points and outlined a clear roadmap for the NCIPs.

Uganda reaffirms its dedication to the NCIPs and remains committed to working collaboratively with partner states to achieve regional development goals. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends its best wishes to Rwanda for peaceful elections and looks forward to continued progress in the upcoming 15th Summit of NCIPs

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.