Joint EAC Heads of State retreat on infrastructure and health financing and development: Heads of State priority infrastructure projects implementation progress and status updates.

Abstract

Infrastructure development and transport services in the EAC remain the prime movers of the region’s integration and overall socio-economic development. Infrastructure development, therefore, continues to receive the utmost political attention both at national and regional levels. It is in this regard that the EAC Heads of State Retreat on Infrastructure Development and Financing has been institutionalized as a regular biennial event. The 1st Retreat was held in June, 2008 in Kigali. This Retreat laid the framework for project identification and prioritization of critical infrastructure projects. The 2nd Retreat, held in November, 2012 in Nairobi, prioritized key regional infrastructure projects to be promoted by the region for investment in the short, medium and long term developed to spur accelerated regional economic development. The 3rd Retreat held in November, 2014 in Nairobi, received progress of implementation of the projects and adopted the 10-Year Investment Strategy. The 3rd Retreat also endorsed for implementation the report on Integrated Corridor Development in EAC countries (Intermodal Strategy). The 4th Retreat which will be jointly held with health retreat is now scheduled for 22nd February 2018 to review progress of projects identified in previous retreats, adopt new projects and strategize on the speedy infrastructure delivery to bridge the existing infrastructure gap in the region.