A connected, competitive and resilient Great Lakes region where national visions add up to shared regional value chains.
Kuhusu GLCF
About GLCF
From National Visions to Regional Value Chains. Connecting Corridors, Capital and Markets across the Great Lakes.
Kuhusu Kongamano
The digital and physical platform of regional corridors
GLCF is a regional platform connecting governments, investors, financial institutions, infrastructure developers, logistics companies, ports, transport operators, businesses and regional institutions across the Great Lakes and East African corridors.
The Forum brings together national visions, regional corridors, capital, infrastructure, trade and markets to accelerate practical economic cooperation and investment across the Great Lakes and East African region.
Tanzania is the host country for the 2026 edition. GLCF itself is regional: its identity and agenda reflect the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, and the wider region they anchor.
- DR Congo
- Rwanda
- Burundi
- Uganda
- Tanzanie
- Kenya
Official theme · 2026
From National Visions to Regional Value Chains
Grand axisConnecting Corridors, Capital and Markets across the Great Lakes
- Bandari
- Korido
- Miundombinu
- Mtaji
- Soko
- Mnyororo wa thamani
Dira na Dhima
Turning national visions into regional value chains
To convene governments, capital and industry around the corridors that link the Great Lakes to ports and global markets — and to turn dialogue into projects, partnerships and investment.
What the Forum connects
- Ports
- Railways
- Roads
- Lakes
- Borders
- Usafirishaji
- Biashara
- Mining
- Industrial development
- Miundombinu
- Mtaji
- Uwekezaji
- Regional value chains
- Business
- Serikali
- Regional integration
Mwanzilishi / Uongozi
CHAMA SMITH AARON
Founder & Chief Executive
MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDER
The Great Lakes region does not lack ambition.
Across our countries, national visions are setting clear directions for economic transformation. Major investments are expanding transport infrastructure, ports, railways, energy systems and trade corridors. Our markets are growing, and our natural resources hold enormous potential for industrial development.
What remains essential is connection.
The connection between national visions and regional opportunities.
Between corridors and markets.
Between infrastructure and capital.
Between resources and industrial value chains.
The Great Lakes Corridors Forum was conceived on a simple, non-partisan premise: it does not replace any national vision, nor does it speak on behalf of any government or institution. It exists to identify the economic, infrastructural and financial connections that allow these different visions to function together — to move the region from transit corridors to economic corridors, and from raw resources to regional value chains.
National visions provide the direction. Corridors provide the connection. Capital enables transformation. It creates a platform through which those priorities can connect and generate greater regional impact.
From Dar es Salaam to the Great Lakes, from infrastructure to investment, from transit corridors to economic corridors, the time has come to build stronger connections.
I welcome governments, institutions, investors and business leaders to GLCF 2026.
Let us connect the corridors.
Mobilise the capital.
Build the value chains.
Chama Smith Aaron
Founder & President, Great Lakes Corridors Forum (GLCF)
Baraza la Ushauri
Regional perspective, institutional credibility
Members of the GLCF Advisory Council will be announced here.
Kuwa sehemu ya GLCF 2026
From National Visions to Regional Value Chains — 4–5 December 2026, Saba Saba Grounds, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania