Nairobi — Kenya, the Netherlands, the European Union (EU), and Invest International have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to scale up investments along the Northern Corridor, East Africa's critical trade artery, under the EU's Global Gateway strategy.
The symbolic signing took place in Luanda on the sidelines of the AU-EU Summit, with Kenya represented by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei.
PS Sing'oei explained that the initiative will see investments in physical infrastructure and digital trade systems, with a focus on cool chain logistics and smart digital trade facilitation. The project aims to build a climate-smart, efficient, and inclusive export system for perishable goods, shifting from carbon-intensive air freight to more sustainable sea freight.
"Together, these investments form the backbone of a climate-smart, efficient, and inclusive export system, enabling sustainable trade along the Northern Corridor," said PS Sing'oei.
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The signing complements ongoing efforts by the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA) to modernize the route in collaboration with international partners, including Germany.
On November 19, 2025, NCTTCA Executive Secretary Deng Diar-manyok hosted a high-level German delegation led by Alexander Fierley, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Nairobi. Discussions focused on making the corridor greener, safer, and more efficient, while unlocking investment opportunities across the six member states: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, and South Sudan.
Key areas of collaboration include strengthening policies and institutional frameworks for sustainable infrastructure rolling out the Northern Corridor Green Freight Strategy to promote cleaner transport and greater use of rail and lake services.
Achievements highlighted during the discussions include progress in public-private partnership (PPP) capacity-building, improved coordination among member states, and joint work with the Lake Victoria Basin Commission and Central Corridor to enhance navigation and safety.
The Lake Victoria Safe Navigation and Multimodal Connectivity Initiative is already paving the way for a robust investment pipeline and reduced logistics costs.
The Northern Corridor, linking Mombasa Port to Eastern and Central Africa, is a strategic EU corridor under the Global Gateway initiative.
Key EU-supported road projects in Kenya include Mombasa / Kwa Jomvu - Mariakani (30 km) - upgrading to dual carriageway, Mombasa - Kilifi Highway (54 km) - first section inaugurated, Isebania - Kisii - Ahero (172 km) plus 230 km of feeder roads and Kitale - Morpus Highway (75 km) - rehabilitation.
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Earlier this year, Team Europe partners--the European Investment Bank (EIB), EU Delegation, and KfW--joined President William Ruto to launch the Kwa Jomvu-Mariakani dual carriageway project, a key bottleneck on the Northern Corridor.
The €140 million project comprises of €100 million in concessional loans from EIB and KfW,€20 million EU grant and €20 million from the Government of Kenya.
Upon completion, the dual carriageway is expected to serve 20,000 vehicles daily, reduce emissions, cut road accidents, and ease the movement of goods to and from Mombasa Port.
The Global Gateway initiative aligns with Kenya's development agenda and the EU-Kenya Strategic Partnership. Over the past three decades, the EU has invested more than €550 million in Kenya's transport sector, including the Northern Corridor and the Ethiopia-South Sudan corridor.
Through the new Letter of Intent with the Netherlands and Invest International, Kenya moves closer to a modernized, climate-resilient, and digitally integrated Northern Corridor, solidifying its role as East Africa's trade lifeline.
