New EAC Transport Corridors Promise a Regional Logistics Revolution
The Urban Gazette Regional Affairs Desk
ARUSHA /UGANDA. The East African Community (EAC) has unveiled plans for three new multimodal transport corridors linking member states from the Indian Ocean to the Great Lakes, aiming to reduce trade costs by 40 percent within a decade.
The new corridors
At the EAC Infrastructure Forum in Arusha this week, ministers endorsed the Central Corridor Upgrade, the Northern Extension (Lamu–Juba–Addis), and a new Lake Victoria Maritime Network.
The projects—costing a combined US$35 billion—will integrate rail, road and inland port networks, connecting Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and DRC.
EAC Secretary-General Peter Mathuki described the initiative as “a decisive step toward a seamless, competitive regional market.”
“Efficient transport is the backbone of our common market. We are moving from fragmented networks to one connected system,” he said.
Uganda’s role and benefits
Uganda sits at the geographic heart of the EAC, making it a critical beneficiary of the corridor strategy. The country’s ongoing Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project—linking Kampala to Malaba and on to Mombasa—is being fast-tracked to align with regional timelines.
According to the Ministry of Works, Uganda has secured US$1.8 billion in concessional financing for the Kampala–Malaba section, while discussions with the African Development Bank continue for extensions toward Kasese and Mpondwe.
Freight companies say the improved networks could cut transit time between Mombasa and Kampala from 7 days to just 48 hours.
Regional economic impact
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat projects that efficient logistics could increase intra-African trade by up to 30 percent by 2030.
The Lake Victoria corridor will modernize port facilities in Entebbe, Jinja, Mwanza and Kisumu, introducing roll-on/roll-off ferries and digital cargo-tracking systems.
Transport economist Dr. Joseph Bwire told The Urban Gazette that the integration of road, rail and water routes could transform East Africa into a continental logistics hub.
“For Uganda, this is about positioning itself not just as a land-linked country but as a land-connected one,” Bwire said.
Environmental and financing concerns
Civil society groups have urged governments to ensure environmental safeguards—especially for routes crossing wetlands and forest reserves.
The EAC says it will adopt a green-corridor framework, requiring carbon-neutral construction technologies and compensatory tree-planting programs.
Financing will come from a mix of public-private partnerships, development banks, and sovereign infrastructure bonds to be floated jointly by member states in 2026.
Outlook
Construction of the first segment of the Central Corridor (Dar es Salaam–Dodoma–Kigali) is set to begin in March 2026. Uganda’s interconnections are scheduled for 2027.
Analysts expect regional GDP to rise by 2–3 percent annually once the full network becomes operational by 2032.
