2023-04-24 15:44:20
The Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (AFTTCC) aligns with the vision of member countries to invest in transport infrastructure and facilitate trade. Master Flory Okandju, Executive Secretary of the AFTTCC declares to prioritize the five-year plan of the agency and one of the priorities is the construction of the standard gauge railway (SGR). Exclusive interview
Maître Flory Okandju, Executive Secretary of the AFTTCC: “We have seen that Burundi is ready, committed and deployed to fulfill its part of its obligations in the tripartite project for the construction of the standard gauge railway (SGR)”.
“A year at the head of the AFTTCC is a lot, but it’s also little and we will feel more comfortable if the beneficiaries of the agency’s actions have a say in how the agency operates,” says note Maître Flory Okandju, Executive Secretary of the AFTTC on Tuesday April 18, 2023 while giving an interview to Burundi Eco, a date corresponding to a year that he has just spent at the head of the agency.
The head of the AFTTCC was on a work mission in Burundi. He specified that the objective of this visit was to follow up on the instructions given by Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This during the Council of Ministers held in Kinshasa in the DRC on March 30, 2023 and these instructions were related to the implementation of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Uvinza-Gitega-Bujumbura-Uvira-Kindu project. .
And to add: “We came here to find out how Burundi is preparing for the implementation of this project. We have seen that Burundi is ready, committed and deployed to fulfill its part of its obligations”.
The five-year plan, a priority
Maître Flory Okandju indicates that the achievements are taken into account in relation to different sectors (rail, maritime, road transport, etc.) and in accordance with administrative reforms.
Now, he explains, we have a human resource management manual. This improves governance within the Corridor.
And to specify: “However, we have only one priority, that of the implementation of the five-year strategic plan of the Central Corridor which will end in 2025. This constitutes the priority of the projects drawn up by the governments. It is replete with a number of activities that must be carried out in time and space” before reporting that the flagship projects are moving towards the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) construction projects at the like the one linking Tanzania, Burundi and the DRC (Uvinza-Musongati-Gitega-Bujumbura-Uvira-Kindu).
Gradual mobilization of funds for the tripartite Uvinza-Musongati-Gitega-Bujumbura-Uvira-Kindu railway construction project
The Executive Secretary of the Central Corridor informs that for example for the railway linking Tanzania, Burundi and the DRC, the mobilization of funds is progressive.
According to him, there are States’ own funds and other funds released by the financial partners of these States.
“As for the financing of phase I, Uvinza-Musongati-Gitega section, today Tanzania and Burundi are in the process of recruiting a consultant to build the road. The funds are already available to start the work,” he said.
And to hammer: “The mobilization of funds is progressing very well. It is therefore not necessary to start the work with the acquisition of the overall envelope” before announcing that the start of the work for the 1time phase will take place in the near future. It just requires a little patience.
For phase II, Gitega-Bujumbura-Uvira-Kindu section, Mr. Flory Okandju informs that Burundi and the DRC have already committed to financing the feasibility studies.
It is after this step that we will take the next step, which consists of raising funds.
The States will disburse part of the funds in the public treasury then we will move on to the mobilization of funds from financial partners in the form of donations, credits or loans.
The boss of the Central Corridor testifies that the railway project raises the hopes of more than one person in the region. “The excitement is there. Everyone wants to see the railway pass through their village or in front of their house. This because the railway will boost the socio-economic development of the sub-region,” he certifies.
A Corridor to support States
Maître Flory Okandju recalls that the mission of the agency is not to determine the routes through which the railway will pass. Rather, it is to accompany the States in the feasibility studies. It is these studies that will determine the place through which the railway will pass. They will also determine the cost of the feasibility and the economic viability of the project as well as the volume of cargo that will pass on this route.
It also certifies that the feasibility studies determine the state of the reliefs in relation to the route. What is determined by experts.
“However, as the Executive Secretariat of the Central Corridor, we agree with the vision of the States. At the level of the DRC for example, the cities concerned are first of all the city of Uvira and the city of Kindu”, he reveals.
For him, the city of Uvira is the entry point of the railway after the connection to Bujumbura while Kindu is the terminal.
Improve infrastructure
Mr. Flory Okandju advises that the transport and trade infrastructures within the member countries of the Central Corridor, namely: Burundi, the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania continue to be improved.
“Obviously, there are infrastructures in good condition and others that need to be improved or adapted to standards, rehabilitated. This on the basis of the available budgets”, he says before rejoicing that the Member States and the Executive Secretariat of the Central Corridor often make pleas to improve the infrastructures.
Transport and trade infrastructure within the member countries of the Central Corridor, namely: Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania continue to be improved.
In Burundi, he continued, efforts to improve transport and transit infrastructure are a reality, including the rehabilitation of the road linking Tanzania and Burundi via the Mabanda border in Makamba province, the construction of new one-stop border posts, the construction of rest areas for trucks, the construction of dry ports, etc.
And to congratulate the government of Burundi which is in the process of rehabilitating the port of Bujumbura. This will facilitate the fluidity of the mobility of goods between Tanzania, Burundi, the DRC and Zambia. He invites him to think about modernizing the port of Rumonge which will help relieve the port of Bujumbura.
However, Master Flory Okandju advises that everywhere in the world, we need multimodal transport.
And to continue: “Overall, rail and sea transport is less expensive. Moreover, this transport contributes to the preservation of roads whose maintenance is expensive, to the preservation of the environment to finally breathe fresh air and have a healthy life”.
It also warns that the multimodal lane is secure.
As for the dredging of the ports installed along Lake Tanganyika, he points out that this has already been done with funding from TradeMark Est Africa at the port of Kalundu in the DRC and that, depending on the possibilities, we will do it at other ports.
STACON to avoid setting limits
Mr. Flory Okandju points out that the Stakeholder Advisory Council (STACON) is a body of the Central Corridor which brings together actors from the public and private sectors.
Each year, STACON meetings are organized. “The particularity for this year (2023) is that the meeting was organized in the member countries. It will be organized at the regional level afterwards”, he explains before indicating that in previous years, the meeting was organized in Dar-es-Salaam.
According to him, this year, the agency wanted to first consult the actors or stakeholders in the respective member countries. This has advantages, including the language used, the greater number of parties consulted.
“If they are invited to Dar-es-Salaam, the expense will be enormous. Besides, there would be fewer participants,” laments Maître
Flory Okandju.
In addition, he specifies, the difficulties related to trade are mastered according to the inhabitants of a region. They are the ones who experience the problem on a daily basis.
The Boss of the AFTTCC announces that a meeting is scheduled for June 2023 to consolidate the various reports from the STACON meetings. The summary of the reports will be submitted to the board of directors and ministers at the regional level and the Central Corridor Executive Secretariat will be involved in the implementation of the recommendations.
This is to facilitate trade in the region.
Mr. Flory Okandju finally asks the Member States of the Central Corridor for good collaboration and support for directives and orientations to improve his mission.
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