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The four countries are argued to maintain the momentum on the initiative to implement the agreed on projects for all citizens of the member countries to benefit from the results out of the frame work.
The Tripartite initiative is composed of Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda; Southern Sudan is expected to join soon. Tanzania and Burundi as members of East African Community (EAC) are not involved in the initiative.
The Republic of Southern Sudan is welcomed to the trilateral initiative and the four countries are expected to work together in implementing regional infrastructure projects. This was lagging due to lack of political will, but the four member states are aiming to forget the past and focus on the future.
The triteral arrangement commenced in June 2013, Non Tariff Barriers(NTBs)have been removed on the Northern Corridor where currently it takes eight days for a truck to move from Mombasa Port to Kigali instead of 22 days hence achievement in time and money saving.
During the first infrastructure summit that was held in Entebbe-Uganda in June, Presidents; Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), and Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya) agreed to fast-track different regional projects including the railway line connecting Mombasa to Kigali, Oil pipeline connecting Eldoret to Kampala to be extended to Rwanda, use of identity cards as travel documents and establishment of a Single Tourism Visa.
Some projects like use o identity cards and single tourist visa will go into implementation soon January 2014, leading to persuasion of more tourists within the region. The Single customs territory was launched during the summit and will be implemented immediately.
The single customs territory is expected to eliminate duplication of processes, cut costs on regulatory requirements, enhance synergies through shared resources and provide a springboard for the movement of other factors of production under the common market, among others.
South Sudan as a new born country of the initiative will be able to transport its crude oil hence boosting trade among member countries and strengthening cooperation for the benefit of four countries.
Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya & Southern Sudan commit to speed up Regional Infrastructure projects
Kigali-27th October, 2013- Ministers from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Southern Sudan are committed to jointly undertake regional Infrastructure projects that are expected to strengthen the East Africa Integration process. This was agreed on during the 3rd Infrastructure Summit held in Kigali-Rwanda.
The Foreign affairs Ministers from Rwanda, Uganda, Southern Sudan and their Kenyan transport ministry counterparts met in a closed-door session and agreed to fast-track the regional pipeline projects that have to be implemented to further EAC integration.