The progress in the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) by President Uhuru Kenyatta has impressed Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Paul Kagame (Rwanda).
The Heads of State who attended the 14th Summit on the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) were particularly impressed by Kenya's commitment to the implementation of a modern railway network having completed and launched the first phase of the SGR from Mombasa to Nairobi and gone a step further to initiate the second phase from Nairobi to Naivasha.
“The Summit lauded the completion and commissioning of Mombasa-Nairobi section of the SGR in 2017 which is already transporting increasing number of passengers and cargo,” the leaders noted in a joint communique released at the close of the summit held in Nairobi.
Speaking at the close of the conference, President Kenyatta underscored the immense benefits of the joint interventions initiated under the NCIP since its inception in 2013.
[caption caption="Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Paul Kagame during the NCIP meeting on Tuesday at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi"]
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“It is definitely good news for our citizens,” the President explained as he cited joint actions including the single customs territory that has resulted in reduced transit times and cost of goods.
Uhuru further assured his regional colleagues that Kenya will sustain the momentum in the timely implementation of the remaining phases of the SGR to reach the Kenya-Uganda border town of Malaba.
In the joint communique, the East African leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing regional integration while underscoring the importance of accelerating socio-economic transformation, industrialisation and employment creation.
To ease the circulation of petroleum products in the region as a key source of industrial and domestic energy, the leaders agreed to come up with ‘the Lake Victoria intermodal transport system’ pending consultations on re-scoping of refined petroleum products pipeline.
Further, the leaders agreed to allocate more funding for the development of centres of excellence to support the creation of requisite human resource capacities needed for the implementation and sustenance of NCIP projects.
On the setting up of a commodities exchange, the Summit received an update on the harmonisation of standards for commonly traded commodities and directed partner states to fast-track the process.
“The Summit directs PartnerStates to expedite development of interlined trading platforms,” leaders noted in the communique.
[caption caption="Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta, Paul Kagame and Yoweri Museveni during the NCIP meeting on Tuesday at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi"]
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Notably, the summit considered and adopted the Accession Treaty to the Mutual Defence Pact, and agreed to finalise an agreement on the establishment of a Centralised Aeronautical Database (CAD) for the Northern Corridor Airspace bloc.
Operations at the port of Mombasa, a key entry and exit point for cargo in the region, was also discussed with the leaders directing responsible agencies to ensure efficient and seamless clearance and movement of cargo.
[caption caption="Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Paul Kagame during the NCIP meeting on Tuesday at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi"]
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