World Bank: Rail network will change Uganda

11 January 2010

Completing Uganda's rail network would be good for east Africa as a whole and would make a big difference to the country's economy and regional integration, the World Bank president has said.

Robert Zoellick announced his organisation was set to finance the rehabilitation of the rails as well as invest in other transport infrastructure projects.

He told Inter Press Service that this is the area most in need of development.

"If it has the right infrastructure, such as railways, Uganda is well placed to overcome the hurdles of being landlocked and promote regional trade," Mr Zoellick added.

Plans include improving the 100-year-old line between Mombasa and Kampala and building extensions to southern Sudan and Tanzania.

John Byabagambi, public works minister, said reducing transport costs was imperative for business in the area, as traders "spend a fortune" on repairing the damage caused to their trucks by potholes.

The ministry's public relations officer Ms Susan Kataike was quoted by the Monitor as saying the east African railway system would be completed by 2018.

Category: Transport