GREEN PORT - East Africa's central green corridor piloted in Uganda
Port Bell in Uganda will be a green infrastructure corridor, part of regional infrastructure development expected to boost intra Africa trade programme to foster regional integration
LILONGWE, Malawi (Planet Defence) - The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA), and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH are collaborating on the implementation of the Green Infrastructure Corridors for Intra-African Trade program, initially piloted in East Africa's Central Corridor.
This initiative aligns with the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and is aimed at benefiting African nations and regional organizations. Operating through PIDA’s Service Delivery Mechanism (SDM), the project in the Central Corridor seeks to offer technical advisory services and facilitate funding, emphasizing climate finance and the advancement of low-carbon, climate-resilient infrastructure.
Between September 26th and 29th, 2023, a team of experts from this partnership undertook a technical scoping mission for the PIDA project: the Modernization/Extension of Port Bell project (Uganda). Previously appraised by the SDM, this project was chosen to receive technical advisory services from the SDM Expert Service Pool (ESP).
The mission's aim was to conduct an on-site assessment of the port, engage with project stakeholders, key partners, and potential funders for the project's feasibility study.
Led by Uganda Railways Corporation, the project targets enhancing the port’s cargo and passenger handling capacity by modernizing existing infrastructure, transitioning it into an eco-friendly port through the integration of climate-mitigating technologies and resilience measures.
The forthcoming development of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), linking Mwanza to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Mombasa to Kisumu in Kenya, is expected to escalate freight volumes passing through Port Bell and Lake Victoria. Therefore, upgrading Port Bell to meet the rising demand for freight handling capacity across Lake Victoria is imperative.
Presently in the pre-feasibility stage, the project has secured funding for railway line rehabilitation and link upgrades, facilitating multimodal operations at the port.
As part of the modernization and expansion strategy, Uganda Railways Corporation intends to procure container-handling vessels, phasing out wagon vessels to capitalize on market opportunities. Additionally, ongoing rehabilitation of the access road to Port Bell is underway, complemented by plans for a nearby expressway expected to be operational by 2025.
The modernization and expansion of the port stand as key priorities for the Ugandan Ministry of Works and Transport and Uganda Railways Corporation. The project's potential to reduce emissions and enhance transportation aligns with targeted economic growth and regional infrastructure connectivity plans.
Through the SDM, AUDA-NEPAD, CCTTFA, and GIZ are committed to offering advisory services to Uganda Railways Corporation. This will commence with a collaborative review and update, alongside the project owners, of the Terms of Reference for the feasibility study. These updated terms will be shared with potential funders to bolster financial mobilization efforts.
Source : AUDA - NEPAD Habari Newsletter