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President Yoweri Museveni has announced that Uganda will partner with the Central African Republic to build a network of roads connecting Arua in the West Nile to CAR’s southeastern corner in a move aimed at boosting trade and bilateral relations between the two landlocked countries.

To improve commerce and bilateral ties between the two landlocked nations, President Yoweri Museveni has declared that Uganda and the Central African Republic (CAR) will collaborate to construct a road networkthat will connect Arua in the West Nile to the southeast corner of the CAR.

The project, according to the President will involve persuading Congo and South Sudan to join in road construction from Arua, through Congo’s Isiro and Obbo in CAR.

“Together with CAR, we want to persuade the governments of Congo and South Sudan that we work on the roads from Arua (northern Uganda) to Isiro (Congo) and then to Obbo (CAR),” Mr. Museveni revealed on Wednesday as Uganda celebrated its 62nd Independence Day.

“Then we need to persuade South Sudan for a road through Yei, Maridi and Yambio…up to CAR. Then, the East Africa Community (EAC) will be linked by road to CAR and beyond,” he added of the ambitious road project he said came after a long October 8 discussion with visiting CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who attended the 62nd Independence anniversary in Busia.

The 80-year-old Ugandan leader did not give actual construction commencement dates or the cost for the roads but emphasized that they (roads) are key as EAC diversifies to new markets in a bid to tame dependence on what he termed as “parasitic foreign markets.”

Museveni also encouraged air links between Uganda and CAR to enhance trade and market connections. “I invite our air cargo companies and the Uganda Airlines to look at the possibility of flying to Bangui. Even if it is not daily but some few times so that we can link up with our brothers and sisters there,” he noted.

President Yoweri Museveni has announced that Uganda will partner with the Central African Republic (CAR) to build a network of roads connecting Arua in the West Nile to CAR’s southeastern corner in a move aimed at boosting trade and bilateral relations between the two landlocked countries.

The project, according to the President will involve persuading Congo and South Sudan to join in road construction from Arua, through Congo’s Isiro and Obbo in CAR.

“Together with CAR, we want to persuade the governments of Congo and South Sudan that we work on the roads from Arua (northern Uganda) to Isiro (Congo) and then to Obbo (CAR),” Mr. Museveni revealed on Wednesday as Uganda celebrated its 62nd Independence Day.

“Then we need to persuade South Sudan for a road through Yei, Maridi and Yambio…up to CAR. Then, the East Africa Community (EAC) will be linked by road to CAR and beyond,” he added of the ambitious road project he said came after a long October 8 discussion with visiting CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who attended the 62nd Independence anniversary in Busia.

The 80-year-old Ugandan leader did not give actual construction commencement dates or the cost for the roads but emphasized that they (roads) are key as EAC diversifies to new markets in a bid to tame dependence on what he termed as “parasitic foreign markets.”

Museveni also encouraged air links between Uganda and CAR to enhance trade and market connections. “I invite our air cargo companies and the Uganda Airlines to look at the possibility of flying to Bangui. Even if it is not daily but some few times so that we can link up with our brothers and sisters there,” he noted.

President Museveni addressing the public at Uganda’s Independence Day Celebrations in Busia on Wednesday, October 09, 2024

The President further emphasized that the EAC’s connection to the nation of over 6 million people, which has endured several armed groups and over 10 years of a civil war, will create inter-regional market linkages.

“Love Africa because you need it for your prosperity. We need Africa for the bigger market,” he observed before he reiterated pledges to complete the 332km Standard Gauge Railway from Malaba (Kenya) to Kampala.

In his brief remarks at the celebrations, CAR President Touadéra hailed his Ugandan counterpart for what he described as a “pan-African spirit” and “leading development” in Uganda since capturing power in 1986.