Namibia wants Trans-Kalahari Rail Corridor Development Project fast-tracked

Namibia wants the Trans-Kalahari Rail Corridor Development Project, a joint project with Botswana, to be fast-tracked and further wants all the resolutions on the project to be implemented as soon as possible.

Namibia’s Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, told a meeting of officials from the two countries, held on 21 February, that the governments of Namibia and Botswana are committed to developing the project, whose idea was first discussed in 2010. The project has been identified as a transformative regional infrastructure initiative to enhance trade and economic integration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The project is expected to cost around US$10 billion and will connect the two countries’ rail networks, providing a vital link for trade and transportation.

Botswana’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Noah Salakae, said the project will help drive the economic transformation of both countries.

Salakae said the project aligns with Botswana’s new Infrastructure Investment Plan, which aims to unlock economic opportunities through infrastructure expansion. The pre-feasibility study and the development of a roadmap to guide dialogue and implementation of the project have already been completed.

Both Salakae and Mutorwa hinted that the project may be funded through a public-private partnership model.

The two countries also view the Trans-Kalahari Rail Corridor Development Project as strategic within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area under the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The project will involve the construction of a railway line, envisioned to be approximately 1,500 km long, stretching from Mmamabula in Botswana to Walvis Bay in Namibia.

Also projected to be part of the project is a coal export terminal at the Botswana Dry Port, located in Walvis Bay. This initiative aims to integrate Botswana’s railway system with Namibia’s railway network, facilitating efficient and cost-effective access to the Botswana Dry Port in Walvis Bay.

The project is anticipated to facilitate the transportation of 14 million tonnes annually in its inaugural year of operation, with the potential to increase to 56 million tonnes per annum by its 30th year of service, as revealed in project tender documents.

Written for Railways Africa Magazine by: Chamwe Kaira