Rwanda has been handed the mantle as the new head of the Northern Corridor policy organs.
After Kenya’s two-year term as chair of the Northern Corridor policy organs ended, the country handed over the mantle to Rwanda.
Northern Corridor is a busy and important transport route to the East and Central Africa countries of Burundi, Eastern DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda.
The main Northern Corridor transport network is connected to the Port of Mombasa and includes a road network; railways belonging to Kenya Railways Corporation and Uganda Railways Corporation; rail-lake transport; inland water routes; container terminals commonly regarded locally as ICDs (Inland Container Depots); Tororo Inland Port – whose contract was awarded to Great Lakes Ports Limited of Kenya amid opposition from clearing firms and truck transporters; plus an oil pipeline.
During the 33rd meeting of the Northern Corridor Council of Ministers held on August 6, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development Aden Mohammed handed over the helm to Rwanda’s Minister for Infrastructure Claver Gatete, who will serve until 2023.
The vice-chair position went to Uganda while the First and Second Rapporteur seats went to Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, respectively.
With the instruments of authority and the chairmanship moving from Kenya to Rwanda, a similar transition was made for the Executive Committee, as well as the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Committee Chairmanship.
In the joint communique issued after the virtual meeting, which brought together Ministers from the six Northern Corridor Member States and representatives of some Regional Economic Communities and Development Partners, the council emphasized the importance of the Northern Corridor Transport route and the role it plays in promoting international trade and regional integration.
The meeting held under the theme, Towards a Resilient, Smart and Responsive Corridor for Trade and Transport Logistics was attended by ministers from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda who re-affirmed their commitment towards supporting the Northern Corridor projects such as Road Side Stations Programme in Transport Infrastructure Development along the Northern Corridor highways.