The Ugandan government plans to build its own standard gauge railway to reduce the cost of transporting exports. / Photo: AA   

Uganda has raised its public spending forecast for 2024/25 (July-June) by 10% compared with the previous year, with more funds being channelled into transportation infrastructure, the finance ministry said on Thursday.

In a post on social media platform X, the finance ministry said state minister for finance Henry Musasizi had sent its budget proposal to parliament.

The government will spend a total of 58.3 trillion Ugandan shillings ($15.02 billion) in 2024/25.

Priorities in the next financial year, the ministry said, would include construction of strategic roads and a standard gauge railway (SGR) among others.

Transporting exports

Landlocked Uganda is in negotiation with Türkiye's Yapi Merkezi for a possible deal to build a $2.2 billion standard gauge railway to help lower the cost of transporting its exports and imports via neighbouring Kenya.

In February, budget documents had showed the government planned to raise spending in the next financial year by 1%.

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Reuters