SADC To Develop Railway Master Plan, Alongside Investment Programme
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) plans to develop its Railway Master Plan together with an investment programme. The investment plan, once completed, will provide guidance on financing costs and estimated capital expenditures required to develop railway infrastructure within the SADC region.
SADC recently put out a tender for consultancy services for the development of the master plan and the bankable document for the investment programme.
Barbara Lopi, Head of the SADC Communication and Public Relations Unit, said that SADC will publish the outcome of the tender for the consultancy services as soon as the process is completed.
“The purpose of the railway infrastructure master plan is to align SADC transport infrastructure projects with the SADC Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan,” she said.
Lopi emphasised that the development of railway infrastructure is key to reducing the cost of transportation of goods and services traded within the SADC region.
Furthermore, the master plan will help determine the regional and national impact of missing regional railway lines and coastal port connectivity and provide railway operators with data to ensure economic operational viability.
Lopi said the plan will also revitalise branch lines or collaborate with other transport modes, ports, and terminals to integrate the regional railway network into the multi-sectoral industry, per trade and industrialisation in the SADC Regional Industrialisation Strategy.
SADC also hopes to promote UN SDGs and railway capability and further indicate funding for prioritised projects and activities.
Lopi said the plan will also come up with a 2024–2044 Investment Plan for short, medium, and long-term goals.
She added that the master plan will help identify the strategic locations of power supply, production, and ICT infrastructure to support railway operations.
The current railway infrastructure needs in the region include constructing and rehabilitating railway line infrastructure, purchasing and upgrading rolling stock, coaches, and signalling equipment.
Lopi added that SADC also needs to harmonise measures, laws, and regulations by domesticating the already developed SADC/Southern African Railways Association (SARA) railway standards and adopting railway multilateral business agreements to allow the seamless movement of trains and logistics across borders.
She further added that railway infrastructure is key to supporting the SADC member states’ ambitions in industrialisation, as the infrastructure will enhance the development of value chains, economic clusters, and market linkages to enhance SME participation in the value chains, particularly in the agriculture, mining, and tourism sectors.