Ugandan envoys urged to promote Northern Corridor projects

Uganda’s Vice-President Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi, has called on Ugandan diplomats accredited to foreign missions to market achievements realised so far under the Northern Corridor projects summits.

Sekandi made the remarks while addressing the diplomats at Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.

“You need to pay particular attention to the developments under the Northern Corridor projects’ summits and the deliverables, such as the Standard Gauge Railway, power generation, oil pipeline development and the single customs territory,” Sekandi said. Eight summits have so far been held in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda with the objective of achieving the infrastructure development goals.

Just last month, the Heads of State of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the management of the Northern Corridor air space bloc. “These are marketable business plans. The achievements realised so far offer relevant lessons to the region,” Sekandi added.

Uganda’s High Commissioner to Rwanda, Richard Kabonero, called on other countries which are not necessarily part of the Northern Corridor like neighbouring DRC to cooperate in achieving the infrastructure projects.

The 8th Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit last month reiterated the importance of fasttracking the operationalisation of One Network Area in Uganda and directed Ministers of Finance and ICT to resolve all outstanding issues on the One Network Area by January. Kabonero said a decision will soon be taken to have Uganda join Kenya and Rwanda in the One Network Area where people will enjoy one mobile telecommunication network, free of roaming charges as is the case between Rwanda and Kenya.

“We shall immensely benefit. In fact, revenue authorities will gain as we have seen the statistics from Kenya – the volumes rose as a result of lowering excise duty on calls,” Kabonero said.