The proposed highway collidor

Kenya is poised to reap maximum benefits from common infrastructure initiatives currently being pursued under the COMESA/SADC/EAC tripartite, Transport permanent Secretary, Dr Cyrus Njiru has said. For one, Kenya has set her sights under Vision 2030 to achieve significant industrialization and become a middle-income nation within the next two decades.

This deliberate approach to development planning has seen the country identify socio-economic and political pillars to realize its development objectives. A close scrutiny of these pillars reveals that they are in congruence with the trans-continental aspirations in as far as development is concerned.

Dr Cyrus Njiru was briefing the media during the ongoing COMESA/SADC/EAC meeting in Mbabane, Swaziland. Dr Njiru is leading the country’s team of experts at the meeting.

Dr Njiru told the meeting that Kenya supports COMESA/SADC/EAC tripartite and bilateral synergies in line with the directive of the Summit held in Kampala, Uganda on October 22nd, 2011.

The PS updated participants on the progress that Kenya has made in the development of the second transport and economic corridor. “The planning phase for the corridor is complete and the seven project components comprising, Lamu port, oil refinery and pipeline, road, railway, resort cities and airports have been packaged for implementation,” Dr Njiru told the meeting.

Dr Njiru reiterated that all the seven components are economically and financially viable. He told the attentive meeting that Lamu corridor will connect the eastern coast with the western coast of Africa through a land bridge.

The PS explained that the economic benefits from such interconnectivity will be enormous. For instance, the corridor will reduce travel time between Lamu and Doula by  two and half weeks.

The PS eagerly welcomed participants  to the forthcoming Tripartite and Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) infrastructure investment conference to be held in Nairobi later in the month. The Conference will take place on 28th and 29th, to discuss the implementation and financing of infrastructure projects with potential investors and development partners.

Kenya will be marketing the various components of the second transport and economic corridor to investors during the conference. The week-long 5th Joint Meeting of the Transport and Communications, Information Technology and Energy Committees kicked off on Monday 5th September, 2011. Top in the agenda is to review the status of implementation of key infrastructure programmes that are aimed at enhancing regional connectivity.

Also of importance is the progress of the report on the implementation of the tripartite programmes, jointly being initiated in collaboration with the East African Community (EAC) and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). The meeting will likewise review progress on the implementation of priority infrastructure development programmes of the African Union.

The meeting, which is a follow-up of others that have taken place under the auspices of Africa’s regional  economic blocs is also meant to debunk the notion that Africa cannot develop itself. “ A free trade area covering the entire Eastern and Southern Africa region is emerging,” Comesa Secretary General, Sindiso Ngwenya noted.

Mr. Ngwenya said that Africa’s development under the COMESA/SADC/EAC tripartite is underpinned by trade, infrastructure and industrial development pillars. He added that infrastructure will be pivotal for facilitating the envisaged economic growth in Africa.

The secretary general identified information communication technology as another important infrastructure component that would, alongside transport drive Africa’s development to the desired levels. He however said that such development will be pegged on appropriate legal regimes.

On the sidelines of the meeting, which also deliberated on the preparations of Nairobi Conference, the PS held discussions with experts from Southern Sudan and Ethiopia. The discussions centred on the LAPSSET project.

The experts’ meeting ends with preparation of a report for adoption by the meeting of ministers later in the week.