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The bill on the rail transport code on the agenda of the Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday December 22

ByWebmaster

Dec 27, 2021

BUJUMBURA December 27th (ABP) – The Cabinet met on Wednesday, December 22, 2021 in Bujumbura, under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic, Major General Evariste Ndayishimiye.

After the presentation of the agenda, the President of the Republic invited the Minister of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security to present the summary of the observations resulting from the preparatory meeting of the Cabinet that he presided over on Monday, December 20, 2021 on delegation from the Prime Minister, and which was devoted to the analysis of the same files on the agenda.

After restitution by the Minister of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security to the President of the Republic, the files to be analyzed were presented, indicates the press release made public by the General Secretariat of State.

This concerns, among others, the bill on the Rail Transport Code, presented by the Services of the Office of the President of the Republic.

In order to establish sustained and inclusive economic growth, the Government of Burundi has adopted a National Development Plan 2018-2027.

The implementation of this Plan will make it possible in particular to build basic infrastructure for the economy and develop the industrial fabric.

Strategic orientation N°1 of the National Development Plan recommends, in its axis N°2, the development of transport infrastructure, with a view to opening up and connecting Burundi to neighboring countries by rail.

To achieve that goal, the country must put in place a legal, institutional and operational framework for rail transport.

The interest in rail transport also stems from the comparative advantages that this mode of transport offers over road: transport capacity, cheap transport cost, greater security of freight transport, a longer lifespan of rail infrastructure.

Burundi abounds in a lot of minerals, especially the nickel deposits in the perimeters of Musongati, Waga and Nyabikere. That is why many mining companies are interested in those deposits but face the challenges of transporting those products to international markets.

Commitments between the Government of Burundi, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo have already been made to build the Uvinza-Musongati-Gitega-Bujumbura-Uvira-Kindu railway line.

             View of the members of the government

The member countries of the East African Community, for their part, have recognized the need to rationalize the development of rail transport and harmonize operations in the main transport corridors.

It is therefore essential that Burundi equips itself with a legal, institutional and operational framework in harmony with the national and regional requirements of rail transport.

After analysis and debate, the bill was passed with the following observations and recommendations:

We must ensure that the Uvinza-Musongati-Gitega-Bujumbura-Uvira-Kindu railway project succeeds because it is strategic for Burundi;

Burundi must show concrete actions for the implementation of this project, including the implementation of this law;

It is necessary to take advantage of the good relations existing between Burundi and Tanzania to implement this project;

The documents related to this project which are ready and which concern Burundi and Tanzania should be signed as soon as possible to materialize the commitment of these countries;

Diplomacy should work a lot with hard data to show Tanzania the value of passing the railroad through Burundi over other routes offered to it;

It is important to submit to the AfDB a joint request from Burundi, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo to finance the Uvinza-Musongati-Gitega-Bujumbura-Uvira-Kindu railway project, the press release concluded.