Rwanda and Kenya have forged a fresh agreement aimed at extending the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) into Rwanda and neighboring nations, bolstering trade and economic ties.

This accord was solidified during a recent gathering in Mombasa, attended by key officials including Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure, Jimmy Gasore; Kenya’s Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen; and Uganda’s Minister of State for Transport, Fred Byamukama.

At the SGR Cluster Ministerial Meeting, Economic Advisor Roger Te Biasu stood in for the Minister of Transport of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

CS Murkomen expressed optimism regarding the four-nation agreement, seeing it as a catalyst for advancing the railway project, which has been hampered by financial constraints.

“This groundbreaking initiative aims to facilitate collective resource mobilization, hasten the completion of the outstanding SGR segments from Naivasha in Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and DRC, and devise a strategy to expedite its execution,” remarked CS Murkomen.

Initially, plans were to extend Kenya’s SGR line from Naivasha to Kampala, Uganda, before further expansion into Rwanda and South Sudan. However, a shortage of funds caused a five-year delay.

During the Mombasa meeting, the four partners resolved to pool resources for the high-speed railway as a collaborative endeavor.

Minister Byamukama stressed the importance of simultaneous development, stating, “We can’t have SGR in Malaba to Kampala if Naivasha-Malaba isn’t complete. That’s why we’re sourcing funds to ensure all sections progress concurrently.”

Kenya’s SGR construction, financed by a loan from China’s Exim Bank totaling $3.6 billion, has notably slashed cargo transport costs from the Port of Mombasa to the hinterlands.

CS Murkomen indicated that the meeting also aimed to streamline inland water transport infrastructure development, fostering seamless multimodal transport and expediting the Tripartite Agreement review on Lake Victoria water transport.

“We aim to harness private sector collaborations to extend our SGR line, not only facilitating smooth cross-border movement of goods and people but also establishing special economic zones along the corridor, transforming stop stations into economic hubs,” Murkomen emphasized.

Rwanda and Kenya have forged a fresh agreement aimed at extending the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) into Rwanda and neighboring nations, bolstering trade and economic ties.

This accord was solidified during a recent gathering in Mombasa, attended by key officials including Rwanda’s Minister of Infrastructure, Jimmy Gasore; Kenya’s Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen; and Uganda’s Minister of State for Transport, Fred Byamukama.

At the SGR Cluster Ministerial Meeting, Economic Advisor Roger Te Biasu stood in for the Minister of Transport of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

CS Murkomen expressed optimism regarding the four-nation agreement, seeing it as a catalyst for advancing the railway project, which has been hampered by financial constraints.

“This groundbreaking initiative aims to facilitate collective resource mobilization, hasten the completion of the outstanding SGR segments from Naivasha in Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and DRC, and devise a strategy to expedite its execution,” remarked CS Murkomen.

Initially, plans were to extend Kenya’s SGR line from Naivasha to Kampala, Uganda, before further expansion into Rwanda and South Sudan. However, a shortage of funds caused a five-year delay.

During the Mombasa meeting, the four partners resolved to pool resources for the high-speed railway as a collaborative endeavor.

Minister Byamukama stressed the importance of simultaneous development, stating, “We can’t have SGR in Malaba to Kampala if Naivasha-Malaba isn’t complete. That’s why we’re sourcing funds to ensure all sections progress concurrently.”

Kenya’s SGR construction, financed by a loan from China’s Exim Bank totaling $3.6 billion, has notably slashed cargo transport costs from the Port of Mombasa to the hinterlands.

CS Murkomen indicated that the meeting also aimed to streamline inland water transport infrastructure development, fostering seamless multimodal transport and expediting the Tripartite Agreement review on Lake Victoria water transport.

“We aim to harness private sector collaborations to extend our SGR line, not only facilitating smooth cross-border movement of goods and people but also establishing special economic zones along the corridor, transforming stop stations into economic hubs,” Murkomen emphasized.