KENYA Ports Authority (KPA) is set to expand the country’s largest harbour at Mombasa seaport following a cash injection of $270 million (about Sh24.7 billion) by Japan.

Speaking to journalists at a signing ceremony, National Treasury Cabinet secretary, Henry Rotich, said the expansion of Mombasa seaport would facilitate trade for the east African nation.

He said the expansion would also complement the efforts to construct wide roads linking the port of Mombasa and key economic destinations in the country as well as regional routes.

Rotich said the seaport expansion would boost trade with fellow East Africa’s neighboring landlocked countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, those at the Horn of Africa among others.

He said the loan from Japan would also help finance the construction of the new container terminal, procurement of equipment and consultancy services.

“This is a high priority and critical project whose completion will enhance container handling capacity at the port and provide handling equipment to facilitate trade and economic development in Kenya and the neighboring countries in East, Central and the horn of Africa,” said Rotich.

Speaking at the same ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Kenya, Tatsushi Terada, said the Sh24,7 billion cash injectionwas the largest single advance to the east African nation.

“This is the largest Japanese loan assistance towards Kenya since the start of Japan-Kenya diplomatic relations in 1963,” Terada said.

Source: All Africa

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