Angola Showcases Railway Development Initiatives at Southern African Railways Association Conference
At the recent Southern African Railways Association (SARA) conference, Catarino Fontes Pereira, President of the Board Administration of ARCCLA, stood in for Ricardo Viegas de Abreu, the Angolan Minister of Transport, to present a comprehensive overview of the milestones achieved in Angola’s national railway sector. His presentation, with a particular focus on the advancements of the Luanda Railways (CFL) and the Moçâmedes Railways (CFM), illustrated the progressive strides Angola is making in the realm of transport infrastructure.
Mr Pereira opened with an affirmation of Angola’s commitment to sharing its journey in enhancing the transport infrastructure, specifically highlighting the strides made in railway development. The presentation outlined Angola’s strategic transport master plan, which will guide the nation’s infrastructural direction for the next decade and a half. The plan places significant emphasis on developing transportation within Angola, starting with a robust legal framework to delineate the roles of various transport authorities.
Four pivotal entities were established to oversee the sector: one focused on air transport, another dedicated to accident prevention across all transport systems, a third responsible for maritime regulation, and, most pertinently for the SARA conference attendees, an entity that regulates land transport, which includes rail.
Speaking to specific railway projects Mr Pereira, explained that the government’s phased strategy which begins with line recovery, progresses through optimisation, and culminates in the concession of railway operations. He highlighted the recent construction of the Lobito Corridor, and the ongoing integration of Angola’s railways, which extend for approximately 2,730 kilometres, with plans for further expansion.
The northern railways originate from Luanda, while the central railways encompass the Lobito Corridor, and the southern railways cover the Namibe region. The strategic geographic positioning of Angola underscores the importance of expanding the rail network to bolster connections with neighbouring countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, and Namibia.
In his detailed overview, he mentioned the northern railway, Caminho de Ferro de Luanda, and its significance in connecting with the DRC through Soyo and the province of Zaire. This connectivity is crucial for accessing the vast market in the DRC. He then shifted focus to the expansion of the Luanda railways:
Investments of nearly $3 billion is being funnelled into Angola’s southern railways, which will strengthen links to the Namibian border and bolster the transport of minerals and other goods.
Mr Pereira also touched upon the government’s vision for integrating Angola’s railways with the wider Southern African network, aspiring to connect all countries by 2035 with an estimated investment of $22 billion.
Particularly noteworthy is the interconnection between the Benguela railways and the Rwanda railways, linking different regions within Angola, and the Lobito corridor which alone is expected to attract around $7 billion in investments.
As the bustling capital, Luanda’s rail infrastructure is set to witness a major upgrade with the introduction of a light rail system aimed at alleviating the city’s notorious congestion.
The presentation concluded with an optimistic outlook on Angola’s transport infrastructure, heralding a future of connectivity and mobility for the people of Angola and the entire Southern African region.