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Uganda and Kenya are actively collaborating to enhance the Northern Corridor Integration Projects, aiming to boost regional cooperation and trade facilitation. Ambassador Kabonero and Principal Secretary Dubat held fruitful discussions in Nairobi, acknowledging the progress achieved and planning future steps towards the 15th NCIPs Summit.

Ugandan officials led by Ambassador Richard Kabonero in a phpto with Kenyan officials led by Ambassador Abdi Dubat in Nairobi – Kenya

The Uganda National Coordinator of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIPs), Ambassador Richard Kabonero, engaged in discussions with his Kenyan counterpart, Abdi Dubat. Dubat, who serves as the Principal Secretary of the State Department for the East African Community, hosted Kabonero at his office in Nairobi.

The purpose of the meeting, initiated by Dubat, was to address various matters of mutual concern. These issues, as outlined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kampala, encompassed coordinated efforts to revitalize the NCIPs, assessing the progress of implementing the directives from the 14th Summit, organizing pending NCIPs cluster meetings, and evaluating the advancement in implementing the regional joint verification mechanism regarding the status of the East Africa Tourism Visa (EATV) under the NCIPs Memorandum of Understanding.

Ambassador Abdi Dubat the Principal Secretary of the State Department for the East African Community

A statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kampala underscored that both Kabonero and Dubat expressed contentment with the progress made and the commitment exhibited by the partner states in revitalizing the NCIPs through various activities. These activities notably included the convening of several cluster meetings on ICT and Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which were chaired and coordinated by Uganda.

Dubat commended Uganda for its effective coordination and chairing of these cluster meetings, as well as its ongoing engagement with partner states concerning the implementation of Summit directives. Both coordinators reached an agreement to convene related meetings in Kampala the following month in preparation for the 15th NCIPs Summit scheduled later in the year.

Uganda National Coordinator of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects, Ambassador Richard Kabonero

Additionally, it was decided that partner states would exchange internal reconciliation reports on the East Africa Tourism Visa ahead of the Regional Joint Verification meeting. Senior officials from both countries present at the meeting included Mr. Evans P. Aryabaha, Charge D’Affaires at the Uganda High Commission in Nairobi, and Dr. Alice Yalla, Secretary for Integration at the State Department for EAC in Kenya.

In summary, the Northern Corridor serves as a vital transport corridor linking the Great Lakes countries of Burundi, DR Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to the Kenyan seaport of Mombasa, as well as Northern Tanzania, Southern Sudan, and Ethiopia. The Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Agreement (NCTTA), signed in 1985 and revised in 2007, fosters regional cooperation to facilitate interstate and transit trade among member states. The extensive Northern Corridor Road networks span approximately 12,707 km, covering various member states.