Kenya and Uganda have recently reached a significant agreement aimed at enhancing their economic cooperation.
President William Ruto revealed this development following discussions with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at State House, Nairobi.
The agreement, which emerged from the Joint Ministerial Meeting (JMC) held in Kampala, encompasses various facets of collaboration between the two nations.
Ruto highlighted the pivotal Tripartite Agreement on the Importation and Transit of Refined Petroleum Products through Kenya to Uganda as a landmark achievement.
This agreement facilitates Uganda’s state oil company, Uganda National Oil Company Limited, to directly import refined petroleum commodities from producer jurisdictions via Kenya.
Ruto emphasized that this accord addresses longstanding challenges encountered by Uganda’s petroleum sector.
In addition to the petroleum agreement, the bilateral discussions resulted in the signing of seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering diverse areas of cooperation.
These encompass education, sports, youth affairs, public service management, and development, as well as collaboration between foreign service institutions.
President Ruto underscored the comprehensive nature of these agreements, which aim to dismantle trade barriers and foster closer ties between Kenya and Uganda.
Notably, the discussions also broached the extension of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) infrastructure. Both nations expressed a shared commitment to extending the railway from Naivasha to Kampala and onwards to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
President Ruto emphasized the strategic importance of the SGR as a robust transportation artery for goods across the region.
Furthermore, the recent agreement signifies a significant shift from previous tensions between Kenya and Uganda regarding oil transportation.
Earlier disputes arose when Nairobi declined to grant a license to Uganda’s government-owned oil marketer to operate locally and handle fuel imports destined for Kampala.
Moreover, Kenya’s reluctance to utilize the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) infrastructure for transporting refined petroleum products to Uganda exacerbated the tensions.
The culmination of these disagreements saw Uganda resorting to legal action, suing Kenya at the East African Court of Justice.
Uganda accused Kenya of obstructing the rights of the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) to function as an Oil Marketing Company (OMC) within Kenya’s borders.
However, with the recent agreement, both nations have embarked on a new chapter of cooperation, aiming to overcome past obstacles and forge a mutually beneficial partnership in various economic sectors.
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