DESSU Corridor Authority Officially Opens in Djibouti
A ceremony to mark the official launching of the Djibouti – Ethiopia – South Sudan – Uganga (DESSU) Corridor Authority during the technical and ministerial-level meeting which was held in Djibouti from 21 to 22 October 2025. The objective of the Authority is to push regional integration and boost trade, through the enhancement of #connectivity infrastructure and harmonization of policies within the region of the Great Horn of Africa.
It is to be recalled that the four countries signed the Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Authority in February 2025. The Authority will build upon the Djibouti – Addis Ababa rail link and push for the construction of missing links to South Sudan and Uganda. Eventually, the seaport of Djibouti will not only be linked to Addis Ababa, but also to Juba and Kampala.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has supported the Corridor project since 2019 by providing funding for the Feasibility Study for the #DESSU Corridor. The three landlocked states of Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda are also part of the InterGovernmental Authority of Development (IGAD) which is headquartered in Djibouti. It is worth noting that Djibouti enjoys a geostrategic location at the crossroads of the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.
The MoU calls for the setting up of Joint Steering and Technical Committees tasked with overseeing the implementation and operation of the DESSU Corridor. Trademark Africa, AFD, and the European Union have displayed a willingness to partner with the Authority, which has to come up with an Institutional and Regulatory Framework as one of its first deliverables. Moreover, a Transport Observatory — similar to the one monitoring the Northern and Cental Corridor in East Africa — will be established to collect and analyze trade and transport data with real-time capabilities.
The work of the Observatory will then serve to guide the Authority in making data-driven decisions. In particular, the Observatory will look for inefficiencies or bottlenecks with a view to making recommendations to the Authority to effect necessary adjustments to ensure cargo and passenger fluidity across the region.
“Regional mobility is not a threat; it is an engine for shared development. Through IGAD’s Free Movement Protocol, we are building a future where borders connect rather than divide our people and economies.”
IGAD Chair for Free Movement Souleimon Robleh
IGAD proposed the Single Digital Visa for the Horn of Africa to facilitate movement of people. In so doing, the Horn of Africa will be able encourage investment as the larger regional market will be more attractive and tourism would also get a boost.
In addition to land transport, the DESSU Corridor Authority has the mandate to look at cabotage services, with the support of the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA). Thus, the Authority will seek ways to improve the shipment of goods or passsengers between ports in the sub-region, while reducing reliance of foreign shipping services.