The Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) Summit kicked has off in Nairobi,Kenya. The conference being hosted by President Uhuru Kenyatta is being attended by Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan who is represented by a special envoy,while Ethiopia, Tanzania, Burundi and the D.R.Congo are attending the summit as observers.
The Heads of State are expected to discuss the progress of mega infrastructure projects designed to benefit the wider Eastern Africa region specifically the progress of implementation of the outcomes of the 13th Summit, which was held in Kampala in April, 2016.
One of the agendas of the summit is the progress of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project,that is being constructed in all the four Northern Corridor countries of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan.
Kenya has already completed phase one of the SGR running between Mombasa and Nairobi and phase II of the SGR between Nairobi and Naivasha is currently at 50% complete. Additionally, Northern Corridor countries are at different stages to actualize the construction of the SGR.
Also read: Kenya launches roads reconstruction in Nairobi’s Eastlands
Summit agenda
Other issues to be discussed include ICT infrastructure development aimed at promoting regional inter-connectivity, oil refinery development following the discoveries of oil in Kenya and Uganda, where the two now join South Sudan as oil producing countries.
Power Generation, transmission and Inter-connectivity in the wider region, Air Space Management, Human Resource Capacity Building and the establishment of a single Customs territory are other key issues also expected to feature at the Summit.
The Northern Corridor Integration Projects is a multilateral development initiative established in 2013 to speed up growth in the region through the improvement of infrastructure for ease of movement of people, goods and services.
