Museveni in Nairobi for infrastructure meet

By David Lumu

President Yoweri Museveni is in Kenyan capital Nairobi for an International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

 "The leaders will be discussing issues to do with the pipeline and all the other infrastructure projects under LAPSSET, especially linking the Lamu port to South Sudan," Ambassador James Mugume, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.  

The Lamu Port Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPPSET) corridor project covers Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

According to Mugume, LAPSSET includes a road network, railway network and oil pipeline network from South Sudan to Lamu. The project requires $22b and is expected to be completed by 2020.

Mugume said that LAPSSET will anchor the wider infrastructure programme of the East African Community member states, which have also embarked on the Northern Corridor Integration project.

The main projects being fast-tracked under the Northern Corridor Integration include the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway line that will connect Mombasa port to Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali and Juba. The other project under the project is the oil pipeline connecting Hoima to Lamu port where a refinery would be constructed.

Mugume said that during summit leaders will discuss the possible mechanisms of realizing these mega projects on time so that the infrastructure development of the Great Lakes Region is revamped.

ICGLR member countries are South Sudan, Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic (CAR), Congo (Brazzaville), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.

The leaders are also expected to discuss the rising security pulse in Democratic republic of Congo, Central African Republic and South Sudan.