The 5th Ordinary Meeting of the Inter-State Council of Ministers of the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA) was concluded on July 31, 2015 in Rubavu – Rwanda. The Ministers meeting was presided over by Hon. Amb. Valentine Rugwabiza, Minister of East African Community, Republic of Rwanda on behalf of the Government of Rwanda.   
Minister Valentine Rugwabiza noted that the gathering was timely and relevant for all of us as it provides us with an opportunity to take stock of progress since the PRT meeting held in Dar es Salaam, in March 2015.

“We are all gathered here as key stakeholders because the Central Corridor is an important trading route for our respective countries” She said, adding that “for Rwanda alone, Central corridor accounts for over 70% of the regional trade”.

The initiatives are aimed at improving the Central Corridor and will have a direct impact on business and citizen welfare not only in Rwanda but the region as a whole.  During the first Central Corridor Presidential Round Table and Investor’s Forum, Heads of State and Governments set out to accelerate the implementation of selected and economically viable projects that make up the Central Corridor.

She said “the recurring theme and message by our respective Heads of State was: engagement; effective coordination and frequent consultations will the help of driving the focus and obtaining results. The question is: how far are we with implementation?”

“We have made progress but we need to do more to translate the abundant political will into tangible results. We have the mandate to ensure timely delivery of results expected of us. Opportunities exist for us to make regional integration concrete in a way never seen before” Hon. Minister Rugwabiza emphasized.

The Council of Ministers noted and approved the resolutions of the 9th Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (TTFA) Board Meeting held at Kivu Serena Hotel, Rubavu, Rwanda on 29th – 30th July, 2015. The Council of Ministers resolved further as follows:

The meeting was chaired by the new Chairman of CC-TTFA, Hon. Dr. Alexis Nzahabwanimana, Minister of State in Charge of Transport, in the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Republic of Rwanda after the official handover of the chairmanship by DRC.

  The meeting was also attended by:
•    Hon. Dr. Stephen Chebrot, Minister of State in Charge of Transport in the Ministry of Works & Transport, the Republic of Uganda,
•    Mr. Justin Kamwanya Kalemuna, Coordinator of CEPCOR, representing the Ministry of Transport & Ways of Communication, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),
•    Dr. Shaaban Mwinjaka, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Representing Hon. Samuel Sitta, Minister of Transport, the United Republic of Tanzania.
•    Mr. Vincent Bakire-Nzoyisaba, Permanent Secretary, representing the Hon. Eng. Ciza Virginia, Minister of Transport, Public Works & Equipment, the Republic of Burundi.

All Ministers and Heads of Delegations thanked the Government of the Republic of Rwanda for hosting the meeting and for the warm hospitality.