Kampala — Regional countries have agreed to extend Kasese Railway line to the Atlantic Ocean through Kisangani.

This was during the signing of a communiqué at Hillton Hotel, Nairobi, last week, in which transport ministers from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the DR Congo representative, agreed to set up rail links through their Transit Transport Co-ordination Authority (TTCA).

Kenya's vice-president Moody Awori said his country was committed to TTCA's objectives of developing transport infrastructure in the country to facilitate movement of goods and services.

"Kenya is committed to linking the Indian Ocean from Mombasa to the Atlantic by rail and waterways.

The link will reduce poverty, increase interstate commerce and make the region internationally competitive," Awori said.

He urged development partners to support the project which would consist of the extension of the railway from Kasese to Kisangani through Kasindi, Beni, Bunia, Komanda and Mambasa in the DR Congo as well as spur links of Kasese to Goma, Kigali Bukavu to Bujumbura.

The ministers urged the African Union and the African Development Bank to spearhead resource mobilisation for the project.

Ministers Severin Ndimukongo (Burundi), John Michuki (Kenya), Dr. Jean Damascene Ntawulirwayo (Rwanda), John Nasasira (Uganda) and madame Louis Kasende (DRC) signed the communiqué.

Dr. Bernard Zorba of the African Union and several ambassadors attended.