East African railway project to be launched soon

By Tesfa Alem tekle

April 6 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) — The construction of a Massive railway line project connecting various countries in the east African region is reportedly to start next May.

The Feasibility studies for the railway project linking south Sudan’s Juba, with Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and northern Sudan will be started next month soon member states file in their evaluation to the study. East African Community officials said.

The $900 billion Railway project will build 15 new railway lines connecting at least seven countries.

Ethiopia and Kenya would have two railway branches connecting them with Sudan.

The railway first line will connect Addis Ababa with the Kenyan northern border town of Garissa while the other will connect another Kenyan coastal town Lamu to Juba through Garissa.

According to Kostelo Garang, adviser to the President of the Government of southern Sudan and the Director General of the project, construction of the project will open job opportunities to more than five thousand people in south Sudan.

The whole project will activate economic, social, and political development in the African continent with further huge potential to spur trade across the vast region.

(ST)