KAMPALA, October 13, 2025 — The East African Community [EAC], in partnership with the Government of Kenya, Government of Uganda and the African Development Bank [AfDB], will host a Market Sounding Conference on October 20-21, 2025 in Kampala, Uganda.
The conference will bring together government officials, development partners, investors, and private sector leaders to explore financing options for the 193-kilometre Kenya–Uganda Multinational Expressway Project, linking Kisumu–Busia in Kenya to Kakira–Malaba in Uganda.
This landmark project, part of the Northern Transport Corridor, is designed to enhance regional trade, improve transport efficiency, and foster cross-border integration. It will also upgrade key border posts at Busia, Malaba, and Lwakhakha to modern and efficient One Stop Border Posts [OSBPs], thus easing the movement of goods and people across the region.
“This project is not just about building a road; it is about creating a modern, safe and efficient transport artery that connects businesses, people, and opportunities across East Africa,” said Hon. Andrea Ariik Malueth, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure, Planning, Productive, Social and Political sectors.
“The Market Sounding Conference is a turning point in our efforts to establish a strategy for sustainable infrastructure development via private sector funding, thereby transforming trade, strengthening regional integration, and unlocking opportunities for millions of our citizens,” he added.
The conference will serve as a critical platform for governments, financiers, development partners, and the private sector to engage on the Kenya–Uganda Multinational Expressway Project. Participants will have the opportunity to review the findings of detailed feasibility studies, including traffic forecasts, engineering designs, and assessments of environmental and social impacts.
The conference will also present the Bankability Report which, based on the project cost estimates, contains proposals for viable public-private partnership [PPP] financing models. “There will be ample opportunity for rich dialogue on how to mobilise resources effectively and sustainably,” Malueth noted.
Beyond the technical presentations, the event will invite investors, bilateral donors, and development financing institutions to contribute ideas on shaping the project’s overall bankability and ensuring it delivers lasting value. The discussions will highlight how the expressway is expected to transform regional connectivity by easing cross-border trade, lowering transport costs, and accelerating economic growth across East Africa.
In doing so, the conference will not only gauge investor appetite but also foster alignment among stakeholders on the project’s next steps, paving the way for an integrated transport corridor that supports trade and development in the region.
The conference is expected to generate strong interest from investors and financiers, with participants providing constructive feedback on the project’s design, feasibility, and financing models. It is also anticipated that the discussions will build consensus on the best approaches to structure the expressway for sustainability and inclusivity, while encouraging practical proposals to address potential environmental and social impacts.
In addition, the outcomes are likely to include clearer commitments from development partners and the private sector to support the project, as well as a shared understanding of its potential to enhance trade, strengthen regional integration, and unlock new economic opportunities across East Africa.
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