UGANDA, Mpondwe | Real Muloodi News | Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have broken ground on the first of three roads that will link the two countries. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo have commissioned the roads connecting the two countries, which will total 223 km. The roads will help cross-border trade, development, and stability in eastern Congo.
During the ceremony, President Tshisekedi commented: “I thank President Museveni for this initiative because it caters for the idea of integrating our countries. As brothers, instead of looking to build walls, it is better to build bridges.”
Uganda’s cabinet approved the three-road project in October of last year. They estimate the project to cost USD 330 million. Each government will contribute 20% of the cost, with Dott Services, a Kampala-based infrastructure developer and contractor, covering the rest.
In the midst of the launch, President Museveni said:
“These projects will cause tremendous social-economic transformation of the lives of the people in the two countries. People of Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda are interlinked and have existed as neighbours since time memorial.”
The Segments of the 223km Roads
- The first will run between the border town of Mpondwe in Uganda, where the ceremony was held, and 80 km northwest to Beni in the DRC.
- The second road will be in the DRC and will run 89 km from the border between Bunagana and the port of Goma on the northern shore of Lake Kivu.
- The third road will extend Beni road 54 km south to Butemboa commercial centre.
All three roads were the subject of an intergovernmental agreement signed in Entebbe, Uganda, on 27 May 2021.
The presidents stated in their communication that the roads will have a “tremendous” impact on trade links between the two countries and will speed up their socioeconomic growth. After the UAE, South Sudan, and Kenya, the DRC is Uganda’s fourth major commercial partner.
The roads will double trade volumes between DRC and Uganda. DRC imports consist mainly of minerals and fuel.
Uganda earned USD 241 million in trade surplus from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2020, with USD 177 million in anticipated informal trade exports bringing the total to USD 418 million. As a result, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Uganda’s primary source of trade surplus.
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