The East African Community (EAC) has secure $2.5 billion loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to provide an additional 7,480 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2022. The regional bloc comprises six member states in the African Great Lakes region in eastern Africa, namely: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. The funds – approved through the Regional Integration Strategy for Eastern Africa (RISP 2018-2022) – will help enhance regional transport connectivity, regional energy infrastructure, regional information and communications technology connectivity and management of trans-boundary water resources, officials said. According to AfDB Director General for Eastern Africa Region, Gabriel Negatu, the investment in agriculture and industrialization was crucial for the development of the region. Note that the Regional Integration Strategy Paper 2018-2022 maps out the direction of the Bank’s regional integration work in Eastern Africa over the next five years.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 29, 2019 14:26 UTC