{{Rwanda has defended the recent (June 2013) trilateral deal between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda which critics said sidelined Burundi and Tanzania.}}
The three leaders while in Kampala Uganda, agreed to fast-track a joint railway line project, oil pipeline, adoption of national identity cards as travel documents, as well as establishment of a single tourist visa, and a single customs territory.
Rwanda’s minister of East African Affairs, Jacqueline Muhongayire,said, “For the three countries to go trilateral, it means our presidents were forward-looking. Our citizens need tangible benefits from EAC integration and faster.
That’s why they decided to come together and implement the projects most of them already outlined in the Common Market protocol.”
The three leaders agreed to construct a railway line valued at $3.5 billion that will connect Mombasa-Kigali and Kampala.
Leaders from the three countries are expected to meet this week in Mombasa, Kenya, to deliberate on the modalities of jointly mobilising funds to finance the projects.
Leave a Reply