Following the LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority’s call for a regulatory framework to guide the trans-boundary infrastructure program, representatives from Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan convened under their Joint Technical Committee (JTC) to assess progress and strategize the way forward. The Nairobi meeting culminated in the validation of the Regional Coordination Mechanism, a pivotal step to streamline financial issues and advance the project’s implementation.
Recent advancements in the LAPSSET Corridor mark significant progress in Ethiopia’s ambitious regional infrastructure expansion. The committee highlighted the notable developments since the last Joint Ministerial Meeting in Juba in 2023. Technical experts stressed the importance of establishing a regional coordination framework and financing system, a priority that Ethiopia has championed since the program’s inception. This framework is expected to be crucial for the successful execution of corridor projects, enhancing regional integration and connectivity.
Ethiopia views the LAPSSET Corridor as a key route to alternative seaports and improved international trade access, aiming to connect the country with Kenya’s Port of Lamu and South Sudan. Beyond the tripartite cooperation, Ethiopia is formalizing its commitment through bilateral agreements, including a financial arrangement with South Sudan to fund a 220-kilometer road linking the two nations.
Ethiopian Ambassador to South Sudan, Nebil Mahdi, emphasized that improved connectivity with neighboring countries reflects the government’s foreign policy focus on regional relationships. Despite challenges such as inadequate roads, security concerns, and immigration services between Ethiopia and South Sudan, advancing such projects remains critically important. “Ethiopia may lack surplus financial resources, but regional integration demands such commitments,” Ambassador Nebil stressed.
The LAPSSET Corridor presents Ethiopia with a vital opportunity for sustainable access to multiple seaports, supporting the nation’s growing economy and population. The recent successful bulk cargo shipment through the Port of Lamu underscores the corridor’s potential, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
Stephen Karingi, Director of the Regional Integration and Trade Division at UNECA, reiterated the corridor’s importance in boosting regional connectivity and trade. He emphasized its role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, while commending the progress in integrating corridor projects into national development plans. UNECA remains committed to supporting collaboration among the three member states.
Kenya’s Stephen Ikua, Director General of the LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority, highlighted the necessity of unified commitment for the corridor’s success. He underscored the benefits of a regional coordination framework and streamlined financing for the project’s cross-border components.
Echoing these sentiments, LadoTombe, Director General of the Road and Safety Authority of South Sudan, declared the LAPSSET Corridor Program a top priority for South Sudan. He announced that the World Bank had agreed to fund the engineering design and construction of the road connecting Nadapal and Juba, marking significant progress for the project.
The Joint Technical Committee will establish a legal framework to expedite the LAPSSET Corridor Program’s implementation, enhancing coordination among the participating countries and further unlocking the corridor’s potential to transform regional connectivity and economic development, as reported by UNECA.
BY YESUF ENDRIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 14 AUGUST 2024
