Uganda gets $150m from EU for roads

Kampala – The European Union has given Uganda $151m in credit and grants to help pay for roads meant to help boost trade in east Africa, it said on Wednesday. The EU has traditionally been a major source of financing for transport infrastructure for the prospective crude oil producer. Uganda, however, has lately appeared to lean increasingly toward China which has extended cheap loans to help finance projects including highways, hydro power dams and public office blocks. Uganda’s national budget has been squeezed since major western donors including Britain, its biggest source of bilateral aid, suspended financial support toward the end of last year after allegations that $13m worth of aid had been embezzled. The EU, however, has continued its funding. The latest funds will help to improve the Kampala Northern Bypass and construct the Mbarara Bypass, which would speed up the flow of cargo on a highway linking Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan to Kenya’s Mombasa seaport. Tags european union uganda infrastructure development economy donor funding