Cabinet approved the construction and upgrading of the national road from Kasindi section at the border to Beni(80km) and the integration of the Beni-Butembo axis(54km) to the national road and the Bunagana (border) to Ruchuru – Goma road (89km).
The move to construct the 223-kilometre road network will help improve mobility and ease business between the two neighbouring countries as well as improved people to people inter connectivity of the two countries.
The road network would provide improved security in the great lakes region by facilitating easy movement of troops and eased monitoring by agencies both from the DRC and Uganda and also international ones like the United Nations that has a peace keeping presence in the region.
East DRC is the second largest market for Ugandan goods and this is expected to further facilitate it. Goma & Beni cities are the major consumers of Ugandan exports into DRC. Uganda and DRC are also the largest producers and exporters of gold in the region and this is bound to be boosted by the development.
Uganda exported $204m to DRC in 2018. The planned 223 km will cost not more than $60m. With proper road network & unlimited market access. Uganda can get back this money in less than two years as taxes on exports.
