From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Mon Aug 04 2008 - 17:02:45 EDT
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
Kenya considering importing power from Ethiopia
August 4th, 2008
(KBC) - Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday said Kenya may import
power from Ethiopia [where the capital Addis Ababa goes dark several
times a week] following the current national shortage of hydro-electric
supply.
Mr. Odinga said plans to transmit power from South Africa fell through
this year after the country began experiencing a power shortage.
The PM who was holding talks with the IGAD Secretary-General Mr Mahaboub
Mohammed in his office said the body had been central in promoting peace
in East African region and Horn of Africa but must now meet its regional
mandates of economic growth, food security and infrastructural
development.
The PM said with over 14 million people in danger of perennial famine
and food insecurity in the region, IGAD must urgently share information
on weather patterns.
"IGAD should work in close co-operation with farmers and give
meteorological expertise to stop crop failure and the rising costs of
food", said the PM.
The PM said the development agency must revitalize its regional
integration plans and hasten the upgrading of infrastructure to expand
the economy. "Regional road networks and communication must now be
opened on the Northern Corridor through Mombasa, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC and
Burundi".
He said Ethiopia had already constructed their part of the Great North
Road from Addis to Khartoum and that the route through Juba, Isiolo,
Merille, Marsabit, Kitale-Lodwar, Loki and Juba must now be completed.
He said plans for the construction of the Garissa-Wajir-Mandera route
that links Kenya with Ethiopia and Somalia and -major networks and the
railway plan from Lamu, Addis-Juba-Uganda and Rwanda were underway.
Mr Mohammed who earlier briefed the PM on IGAD's status and the regional
political dynamics said Eritrea which had suspended its membership to
the body had now agreed to rejoin.
He appealed for Kenya's support to mobilize resources and to undertake
staff rationalization in conjunction with UNECA.
Mr. Mahaboub said he would seek for the support of the Council of
Minister meeting in Addis later in the month.
"The blue print on regional integration is ready and we've asked EU to
partner with us for cross-cutting infrastructure".
IGAD has managed conflict management and largely controlled raids on
livestock in the last two years.
It has also intervened in volatile areas in Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and
made a political transformation in the region.
Somalia however, remains a serious challenge with the unrest there
affecting the entire sub-region, especially Kenya.
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