Honorable General Katumba Wamala, Minister of Works and Transport,
Mr. Bageya Waiswa, PS of the Ministry of Works and Transport,
Mr. Ramathan Ggoobi, PS of the Ministry of Finance,
Dr. Erdem Arıoğlu, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yapı Merkezi,
Esteemed SGR Project Director,
Distinguished members of media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great honor and excitement that I stand before you today to mark this historic moment – the signing of the contract for the construction of Malaba-Kampala SGR project. This occasion is not just a milestone for the cities on the railway route, but a momentous step forward for the whole Uganda. Today, we are laying the foundation for a future of increased connectivity, economic growth and prosperity in the country. That’s why I have been calling this project a “game changer”. For Uganda, a country positioned as a growing hub in East Africa, this railway project is more than just a transportation initiative. It is a catalyst for regional integration and economic transformation.

As His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda, has stated in his speech in Busia during the Independence Day celebrations last week, this railway will reduce transportation costs and increase the flow of goods and services. In other words, this investment will unlock the untapped potential of Uganda.

It will also create tens of thousands of jobs during and after its construction. It will boost industries, improve supply chains, and make Uganda more competitive in global markets. Therefore we are more than happy to be part of Uganda’s journey towards welfare and prosperity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since 1970's Turkish contractors have completed more than 12.207 projects in 135 countries. Their business volume abroad has reached 511 billion US Dollars. Africa constitute more than %17 percent of this amount.

This success might be attributed to Türkiye's competitive advantages; including its qualified human resource, enhanced technical knowledge, wide business experience, strong discipline, ability of adaptation to new technologies.

As we have seen during the presentation, Yapı Merkezi is one of the leading Turkish overseas contractors, which have successfully completed various projects in Africa and in other continents. I have no doubt that Yapı Merkezi will deliver the railway on time.

Esteemed guests,

Throughout history, infrastructure has been the bedrock upon which economies have flourished and societies have progressed. From the aqueducts to modern highways and railways, nations that prioritize robust infrastructure development are not only more resilient, but they are also better positioned to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Uganda, being landlocked, depends heavily on road transport for trade, which can be costly and slow. This railway, after the completion of the following phases linking Uganda to ports in neighboring countries, would dramatically reduce transport costs, open up markets, and make Ugandan exports more competitive on the global stage.

In this respect, I am confident that the negotiation process for the next phase, Kampala-Kasese route will be concluded in a short period of time.

Therefore, I would like to commend H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his visionary policy of building SGR in Uganda, and promoting the neighboring countries also, to settle a SGR network in the region.

I want to conclude by praising the Ministry of Transport and Yapı Merkezi for successfully completing the negotiations of the contract. I also would like to extend my gratitude to Minister Katumba, PS Waiswa, PS Ggobi, and the Ministry staff for their tireless effort to finalize the contract.

Thank you.