· Ugandan Government has taken a strategic shift in its regional policy, particularly towards its neighbour Democratic Republic of Congo.
· To be jointly funded, the roads will run from some of Uganda’s border towns into DRC.
Uganda’s cabinet recently approved in principle, plans to build three roads inside the DRC.After more than two decades of hostilities, including a war in 1997, Uganda is betting that infrastructure investments and shared economic benefits will lead to better relations and long-term stability in the region. The country had adopted an infrastructure diplomacy to grow its influence in the Great Lakes region.
Uganda’s cabinet recently approved in principle, plans to build three roads inside the DRC. The Cabinet approval was an outcome of the Uganda-DRC Business Forum in November 2019 in Kampala. To be jointly funded, the roads will run from some of Uganda’s border towns into DRC: one will run from Kasindi to Beni (80km) and another will integrate the Beni-Butebo axis (54km). The third will stretch for 89 kilometres from the border town of Bunagana, through Rutshuru to the strategic city of Goma, the capital of the North Kivu Province in DRC.DRC will make the biggest contribution. Uganda is expected to contribute $65.9 million out of the total estimated bill of $334.3m.
Revealing the proposal, Uganda’s Works and Transport Minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala added that once the proposal gets approval from DRC, a memorandum of understanding will be signed between the two sides. The road is expected to double cross border trade volumes according to Gen Wamala.
Trade across the border has been hampered by poor road network inside DRC which increases the cost of doing business. Insecurity is another issue. In 2018, Uganda’s exports to DR Congo was around $532 million, including an estimated $312 million in informal exports. Uganda’s top exports to DRC include cement, sugar, rice, beer, wheat flour, biscuits and beauty and make-up products while importing include iron, pearls, mineral fuels, wood, charcoal, spices, vegetable fats and oils, rubber among others from its western neighbour.
