Regional Infrastructure summit to be held in Kigali next week

President Uhuru Kenyatta receives president Kagame for the 2^nd Infrastructure summit in August

The third Infrastructure Summit slated for October 28 2013 will be held in Kigali and President Paul Kagame will host his counterparts, President Museveni of Uganda, President Kenyatta of Kenya and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan among the delegates.

The summit is a follow up of the second that was held in Mombasa in August. The summit is an initiative bringing together the four countries to fast track regional development through infrastructure, trade and political and economic integration.

As part of the EAC integration process, the regional heads of states have held various meetings on the regional infrastructure sector level and Rwanda has been tasked to fast track customs, single tourist visa and East African Community e-identity card.

While Uganda and Kenya have been tasked to lead the railway development and political federation sector, the implementation of the oil pipeline and electricity generation respectively.

In the ugust meet, President Kagame joined President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Kaguta Museveni in Mombasa, Kenya, for the second summit on regional infrastructure, trade, political and economic integration.

At the meeting, the Head of State said that the development of infrastructure will serve the people of East Africa and beyond.

So far Rwanda has taken a major lead in implimentting its part. There has been progress in use of national identity cards, voter and student cards as travel documents, and single tourist visa- all to be implemented by the start of next year.

Apparently, at the 3^rd summit, the Heads of State will launch the Single Customs Territory.  The move is expected to reduce time spent moving goods along the northern corridor from 18 days to 5 days from Mombasa to Kampala and from 21 days to 8 days from Mombasa to Kigali. Additionally, customs declaration and customs security bonds will reduce from 3 to 1.

Regional Infrastructure summit to be held in Kigali next week