Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreeing to establish a common corridor management authority.
The Ethiopian embassy in Djibouti in a statement disclosed that a ministerial meeting which began on Tuesday concluded Thursday evening with the signing of the MoU on the establishment of the Djibouti-Ethiopia-South Sudan-Uganda (DESSU) Corridor Authority.
The ministerial meeting has been engaged in extensive discussions on the draft MoU at the Technical Committee level.
The establishment of the corridor will help strengthen regional integration by creating infrastructure links, expanding cooperation and enhancing economic growth among the participating countries, the statement said.
The realisation of agreement is expected to enhance African connectivity through linking Djibouti, Addis, Juba and Kampala.
The project was initiated by the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the four member states signed an MOU in 2019.
The agreement also included the establishment of Joint Steering & Tech Committees and the completion of filing for funding requests to the African Development Bank (AfDB).
It was also suggested that initiative to prioritise Africa’s seacoast cabotage for African flag vessels, led by the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa.
MG/as/APA