The transportation interconnectivity in East Africa is experiencing significant breakthroughs. The feasibility study of a 200 kilometer cross-border highway project connecting Kenya and Uganda has been approved by the governments of both countries, marking the substantial progress of upgrading and renovating this critical transportation corridor. The project will be primarily funded by the African Development Bank and implemented through a government social capital cooperation model, aiming to thoroughly improve transportation efficiency between the two capitals of Nairobi and Kampala.

The planned expressway will enhance its traffic capacity through multiple measures: most sections will be upgraded based on existing roads, and within Uganda, a brand new 60 kilometer road will be constructed from Jinja to Busesa. At the same time, the sections from Busesa to Malaba and from Busytema to Busia will be upgraded to two lane highways. In Kenya, the project includes upgrading the Kisumu bypass to a two lane road and laying a new asphalt layer on the section from Kimaeti to Luwakaka. It is particularly crucial that the border checkpoints in Busia and Malabar will be improved simultaneously to accelerate the customs clearance process and reduce delays in cross-border transportation.

This project is one of a series of important initiatives in East Africa aimed at improving international transportation connectivity. Its core goal is to alleviate the severe congestion of the existing network, significantly shorten the travel time between the two capitals, and promote trade and personnel exchanges between Kenya and Uganda, as well as with neighboring countries.

At the same time, Kenya has also made new progress in other key road projects. A consortium consisting of the National Social Security Fund and China Road and Bridge Corporation has successfully won the franchise rights for the "Maofeng Highway Project" in Kenya. The consortium has obtained a 30-year agreement to be responsible for the construction, operation, and maintenance of this upgraded highway section.

In addition, the Public Private Partnership Bureau of the Kenyan Ministry of Finance recently announced that it has paid compensation to a French consortium consisting of Vinci Highway SAS and others, as the previous nearly $1.5 billion road upgrade project has been cancelled. This series of developments indicates that Kenya is actively promoting the modernization of its national road network through diversified cooperation models and funding sources. Keywords: foreign construction news, international news

The promotion of this cross-border highway connecting Nairobi and Kampala is not only a crucial step in upgrading the infrastructure of Kenya and Uganda, but also an important practice for the East African Community to deepen regional integration and build efficient logistics channels. As the project enters the next phase, the economic bloodline in East Africa is expected to become more smooth.Editor/Cheng Liting