The road network, Mr Museveni said, would bolster efforts to strengthen regional trade and integration.
President Museveni has unveiled bold plans to construct key road networks connecting Uganda with the Central African Republic (CAR).
This, Mr Museveni said, would bolster efforts to strengthen regional trade and integration.
Speaking during Uganda’s 62nd Independence Day celebrations, Museveni said the infrastructure project, which would involve South Sudan and Congo Beazzacille, is crucial for promoting cross-border commerce and economic growth across East and Central Africa.
CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadéra was in attendance and the proposal appear to have discussed before hand by the two heads of state.
Mr Museveni proposed the construction of two major road networks.
“Together with the Central African Republic, we want to persuade the governments of Congo and South Sudan to construct a road from Arua [in Uganda] through Congo to Obo, and another connecting Yei, Yeribi, and Yambio in South Sudan to CAR,” he stated.
This infrastructure, he explained, is critical for linking East Africa to CAR and facilitating seamless cross-border trade.
In addition to road development, Museveni urged Uganda Airlines to explore direct flights to Bangui, CAR’s capital, to strengthen socio-economic ties and improve regional air connectivity.
President Touadéra praised Museveni’s long-standing leadership and his commitment to national reconciliation in Uganda, describing him as a model of stability and progress.
“He has transformed Uganda into a beacon of stability,” Touadéra said, congratulating Ugandans on their independence anniversary.
Museveni reiterated his call for prosperity through regional cooperation, grounded in the principles of the National Resistance Movement (NRM): patriotism, Pan-Africanism, and strategic security.
He urged Ugandans to transcend tribal and identity politics, arguing that true prosperity lies in unity—both within Uganda and across Africa.
Highlighting the economic challenges Africa faces despite political independence, Museveni criticized the exploitative practices of Western nations, particularly in the raw materials sector.
He pointed to the coffee industry as an example, revealing that while the global coffee market is worth $406 billion, Africa earns only $25 billion, with Uganda’s share amounting to $900 million.
Meanwhile, countries like Germany earn $65 billion through value-added imports.
Museveni concluded by stressing the importance of African economic and political integration, calling on patriots and Pan-Africanists to work together to achieve unity across the region.
