The World Bank has pledged financial support for Uganda’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), according to a State House statement issued on April, 1.
The commitment was announced by Fan Qimiao, the Bank’s division director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda, during a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday.
He affirmed the institution’s readiness to back the project, citing transport and energy as key pillars of sustainable development. Museveni welcomed the support, noting that the railway will reduce transport costs and improve regional connectivity. He outlined a broader strategy in which rail and water transport handle heavy cargo, pipelines serve petroleum distribution, and roads are reserved for passengers and light goods. The president also endorsed the Bank’s plans to support agricultural industrialization and agro-processing, describing value addition as essential for job creation and export growth.
In March, Museveni and Kenyan President William Ruto launched the extension of the SGR to Malaba at the Kenya-Uganda border. Uganda’s line will link to the network once completed, ultimately connecting the country to the Kenyan port of Mombasa. In 2024, Uganda signed a 2.7-billion-euro contract with Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi to construct a 272-kilometre railway from Tororo to Kampala, with financing expected from domestic sources and development partners.