Northern Corridor Regional RSS forum
The implementation of the RSS infrastructure along the Corridor requires a legal framework to guide investors. In 2015, when the RSS program was officially presented to the public, the following resolutions were made from the Investors conference which was organized for the launching purpose:
- Implement RSS as an integral plan of Transport Infrastructure Services along the Corridor.
- Put in place and develop required Policy and Regulatory and Institutional Frameworks for promoting RSS in partnership with the Private Sector.
- Set up Taskforces in each Member State, under coordination of Ministries of Transport and Infrastructure, to spearhead the implementation of the RSS Program. The Membership to comprise of Highway/Road Authorities, Agencies in charge of Road Safety, Ministries of Finance and Treasury (PPP Unit), Ministries of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, National Investment Agencies and Ministries of Health.
- It was further agreed that the Coordinating Ministries of Transport in Consultation with the Ministry of Finance will come up with an appropriate financing model and concession mechanisms for implementing these infrastructure services.
The Northern Corridor Secretariat has been coordinating its Member States to put in place the policy framework for investing in RSS. To guide Member States in developing their RSS National Guidelines, the Northern Corridor Secretariat developed and published the regional guidelines. Some progress towards the development of the National Guidelines by the Northern Corridor Member States has been made but there is a need of fast trucking the processes to provide investors with required policy framework to invest in RSS projects. On the side of the private sector, some developers have initiated projects similar to RSS designs but with no common standard as recommended by the RSS program.
On the side of the EAC Secretariat, with support from JICA, a study has been undertaken to harmonize regional RSS guidelines for the tripartite (EAC – COMESA – SADC). The project funded by JICA is seen as an opportunity to provide Member States with regulations that can apply at once to the entire region.
Thus, the regional RSS forum will bring together all involved institutions from the Northern Member States including private sector and development partners to discuss the progress so far in the implementation of the RSS program and agree on the way forward towards the establishment of the policy framework required to guide investors in the implementation of the RSS projects along the Corridor.
Date, venue and participants
The RSS regional forum will take place at Hilton Hotel Nairobi/Kenya from 16th to 17th May 2022.
Stakeholders who are not in a position to attend the meeting physically can join the forum online using this Link
Working documents
The brief Concept note, program of work and some working documents can be downloaded here:
- Brief Concept Note English version
- Program of work English version
- Brief concept note French Version
- Report of the survey in Kenya
- Report of the survey in Uganda
Some other useful documents related to RSS program are available under Resources in this portal.