South Sudan’s Kiir joins regional leaders in launching Lamu project
March 3, 2012 (KHARTOUM) — Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir witnessed Friday the launch of the Lamu project which will give landlocked Ethiopia and South Sudan a maritime access to export its products and import others.
![Presidents [L-R], Salva Kiir of South Sudan, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia raise their joined hands on March 2, 2012 during the ceremony of an ambitious port project in Kenya's resort town of Lamu (GETTY)](IMG/jpg/Presidents_L-R_Salva_Kiir_of_South_Sudan_Mwai_Kibaki_of_Kenya_and_Meles_Zenawi_of_Ethiopia_raise_their_joined_hands_on_March_2_2012_during_the_ceremony_of_an_ambitious_port_project_in_Kenya_s_reso.jpg "Presidents [L-R], Salva Kiir of South Sudan, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia raise their joined hands on March 2, 2012 during the ceremony of an ambitious port project in Kenya's resort town of Lamu (GETTY)")
The $24.5 billion project in Kenya’s port on the Ocean Indian includes a pipeline, oil refinery and road network as well as a railway line to Juba.
For South Sudan, the project presents an opportunity to end dependency on oil pipelines and infrastructure of neighbouring Sudan. Juba suspended oil production after accusing Khartoum of stealing the oil as talks on transit fees failed to reach an agreement.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Salva Kiir Mayadrit said “for South Sudan, it is a vision to long-term security. The backbone of our infrastructure that will allow us to end our reliance on oil extraction.”
“It is a vision whereby in the future you will be able to board people and freight cargo in the morning in Juba and be in Lamu that same afternoon,” he added enthusiastically.
South Sudan minister of information, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, at a press conference on Thursday said the cost of the construction would be shared among Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia.
However, Kenyan president, Kibaki, thanked in his speech some international and regional financial establishments like the World Bank, African Development Bank for their participation in the funding of the project. He further said that China is very supportive for the project.
Kibaki also reassured the residents of Lamu that their interests will be preserved and the government will do what is possible to avoid at negative environmental effects caused by the project.
The BBC reported that local residents are worried about the impact of the project on Lamu Island which includes a site classified by the UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
(ST)