By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Djibouti, 22 October 2025 — The Technical Committee Meeting for the establishment of the Djibouti–Ethiopia–South Sudan–Uganda (DESSU) Corridor Management Authority has officially opened in Djibouti.
The two-day session, held from October 21 to 22, brings together delegates from the four participating countries to review the final draft agreement of the Establishment and Operationalization framework — a document previously discussed during consultations in Addis Ababa.
According to the Ethiopian Embassy in Djibouti, the meeting aims to finalize technical details before the agreement is submitted for approval by the Joint Ministerial Council of Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda. Once endorsed, the DESSU Corridor Management Authority will be formally established through a joint ministerial decision.
The DESSU Corridor initiative follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on February 27, 2025, which seeks to enhance regional integration and trade connectivity by developing a strategic land corridor linking the four countries.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has supported the project since 2019, funding its feasibility study to connect the three IGAD landlocked countries with Djibouti’s ports.
Djibouti’s strategic location — at the crossroads of the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf of Aden — makes it a vital trade hub for the corridor and broader regional commerce.
Once established, the Corridor Management Authority will oversee implementation, infrastructure coordination, and policy alignment across member states.
