Arusha. The East African Community (EAC) partner states are set to develop an expansive 6,220-kilometre Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) network to interconnect all eight member nations.

This ambitious plan was announced during the ministerial session of the 19th EAC Sectoral Council on Transport, Communications and Meteorology, held in Arusha recently.

Speaking at the session, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Mr Andrea Aguer Ariik Maleuth, said that Kenya and Tanzania have taken the lead in developing the region’s SGR network.

“A total of 1,120 kilometres of SGR is already operational in Kenya and Tanzania, with an additional 1,100 kilometres under construction in Tanzania. Around 4,000 kilometres are in project preparation across all partner states,” Mr Ariik said. He informed the ministerial session that the EAC is working to harmonise standards to ensure seamless operations across the regional network.

The EAC’s vision for an integrated railway network gained traction as Tanzania recently launched SGR services connecting Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, with Uganda planning its own SGR links to neighbouring Kenya, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan.

According to Mr Ariik, seamless connectivity within the railway system will depend on joint resource mobilisation and coordination to avoid gaps that could delay the project’s progress.

“Transportation is critical for the movement of people, goods, services, and resources, which in turn strengthens access to local and international markets,” he noted.

To enhance climate resilience and safety in air transport, Mr Ariik stressed the need for more automatic weather stations and quality management systems for Aeronautical Meteorological Services.

“So far, we’ve added five radar stations and over 30 automatic weather stations to the regional network,” he said.

However, only three EAC countries currently have autonomous meteorological and hydrological agencies, underscoring the need for regional coordination in modernising meteorological services.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, Mr Davis Chirchir, called for the elimination of barriers to transportation to boost cross-border trade, which currently stands at just 15 percent for the region.

“Investments in the Northern and Central Transport Corridors aim to facilitate the movement of people and goods within the EAC, enhancing intra-regional trade,” he said.

He noted that other regions, such as Europe, Asia, and Latin America, have achieved intra-regional trade levels exceeding 60 percent.

Mr Chirchir also emphasised the critical role of digitalisation in promoting connectivity and economic growth.

“Effective communication systems enable us to share knowledge, foster innovation, and build a cohesive community,” he noted.

The session, conducted in a hybrid format, brought together key officials, including Burund’s minister for Infrastructure, Equipment, and Social Housing, Mr Dieudonne Dukundane; Rwanda’s minister of Infrastructure, Dr Jimmy Gasore; Tanzania’s deputy minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dennis Londo and Uganda’s minister of State for ICT and National Guidance, Mr Geoffrey Baluku.