Government and European Union Delegation to Uganda have this afternoon Wednesday 17th October 2018 at 4:00 pm signed agreements of the financing agreements to renovate the old metre gauge railway line from Tororo through the districts of Mbale, Kumi, Soroti, Lira and Gulu.
The grant will be disbursed from the European Development Fund to rehabilitate this key transport infrastructure in Northern Uganda.
According to Mr. Emmanuel D. Gyezaho, the EU press and information advisor, the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Honourable Matia Kasaija and European Union Head of Delegation to Uganda, H.E Ambassador Attilio Pacifici represented both parties at the ceremony in Kampala.
“We are proud to support the Government of Uganda’s decision to revitalise this crucial economic link,” said Ambassador Attilio Pacifici.
“This project is part of the many actions taken by the European Union to support Northern Uganda which include the recently launched EUR 150 million Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) as well as the provision of humanitarian assistance to refugees and support to the host communities.”
The Tororo-Gulu railway line used to be a pivotal economic artery along the East African Northern Corridor linking the port of Mombasa and Eastern Uganda to Northern Uganda, as well as to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The line has been out of service since 1993 because of unrest in Northern Uganda and unfair competition of overloaded trucks.
According to Mr Gyezaho, northern Uganda has a limited private sector and until it significantly develops, the region will continue to lag behind the rest of the country.
“Inadequate road and rail transport is a main constraint to business and trade in northern Uganda,” he said.
