The Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority and the Central Corridor Transit and Transport Facilitation Agency have signed a memorandum of cooperation agreement to strengthen joint efforts aimed at improving transport efficiency, trade facilitation, and sustainability across Eastern and Central Africa.
The Memorandum of Cooperation was signed at the Northern Corridor Authority offices in Nyali, Mombasa, and sets out a structured framework for collaboration between the two intergovernmental corridor institutions, which link landlocked countries in the Great Lakes region to the ports of Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, and Mtwara.
Under the agreement, the two agencies will work together in priority areas including inland waterways transport, development of green transport corridors, integration of multimodal infrastructure, digitalization and data sharing, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, road safety, monitoring of non-tariff barriers, and harmonization of transport and trade policies and procedures.
The cooperation framework also provides for capacity building, private sector engagement, and coordinated mobilization of resources to support joint initiatives.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Northern Corridor Executive Secretary John Deng said the agreement reflects a shared commitment to advancing regional integration, economic competitiveness, and climate-resilient transport systems.
“Trade facilitation remains the core mandate of the two corridor institutions, and all our actions are intended to positively impact trade,” said Deng, adding that the framework will help integrate activities where the two corridors have overlapping responsibilities to improve outcomes and ensure efficient use of resources.
Deng cited inland waterways transport, particularly on Lake Victoria, as a key focus area, noting that increased use of the lake would help reduce road congestion while supporting environmental protection.
He said joint interventions would prioritize improved navigation safety through updated mapping, communication systems, rescue centers, and coordinated emergency response involving Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
He added that the partnership will extend to environmental and climate change initiatives such as green freight programs, driver training, emissions data collection, and the development of regional e-mobility and electrification roadmaps to support a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy in the logistics sector.
On non-tariff barriers, Deng said the two corridors had agreed to adopt a joint approach to address persistent trade obstacles across the region. “Some barriers are resolved, but new ones continue to emerge, and a common front is required to address issues affecting cross-border trade,” he said.
Central Corridor Executive Secretary Okandju Okonge said high transport costs in the region are largely linked to over-reliance on road transport, adding that development of alternative transport modes would help lower costs and reduce trade barriers.
Okonge said the two agencies will jointly monitor and harmonize transport and trade policies and procedures, noting that the partnership was overdue given that both corridors serve the same countries and populations, including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
To implement the agreement, the two institutions will develop a three-year Joint Action Plan overseen by a high-level Steering Committee comprising the Executive Secretaries of both agencies and supported by a Joint Technical Committee.
The cooperation agreement will run for an initial period of five years, with provisions for renewal and expansion through mutual agreement.
By Sitati Reagan
