The launch of the Kazungula Bridge Authority (KBA), is a significant milestone in the joint management of the Kazungula Bridge and its One-Stop Border Post by Zambia and Botswana.
Presidents Duma Gideon Boko of Botswana and Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia launched the Kazungula Bridge Authority (KBA) on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, in Kazungula, located in Botswana’s Chobe District.
The two governments signed an addendum agreement in Kasane, formalising the establishment of the Authority, which will oversee the sustainable management of the bridge and enhance coordination at the border post.
The leaders described the Authority as a critical step toward maximising the full potential of the bridge to expand regional trade and leverage opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). They also highlighted its role in strengthening trade within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
President Boko announced that the border facility will soon transition to a 24-hour “nonstop border system,” allowing continuous movement of goods and people. The move is expected to reduce congestion, lower transport costs and improve efficiency along the strategic North-South Corridor.
President Hichilema revealed that the bridge has become the preferred transit route for countries further north, with truck traffic projected to increase from about 400 trucks per day to a target of 1000 daily. He stressed that higher traffic volumes must translate into tangible economic gains, including improved trade efficiency, reduced transport costs and business growth for border communities.
Once operational, the Authority will oversee and manage the Kazungula Bridge and the One Stop Border Post facilities linking Botswana’s Chobe District with Zambia’s Southern Province across the Zambezi River. The infrastructure is aimed at improving transit efficiency, facilitating trade flows and enhancing the global competitiveness of both economies.
The bridge forms part of the strategic North-South Corridor, positioning the two countries at a key junction for regional and international trade. Future plans include a rail link from Mosetse in Botswana to Livingstone in Zambia via Kazungula, with integration into the Lobito Corridor and the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority line expected to expand export and import opportunities.
The Mosetse–Kazungula–Livingstone Railway is a planned 430-kilometre Cape gauge international railway connecting the Botswana railway network at Mosetse, Botswana, with the Zambian railway network at Livingstone, Zambia, via the Kazungula Bridge over the Zambezi River.
The North South Corridor spanning from Durban in South Africa to Kolwezi in DRC is one of the most important corridors in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, being the busiest trade route moving over 60% of SADC trade and serving seven countries and over half of the region’s population.
SADC estimates that the Corridor could unlock US$16.1 billion in GDP within the region and generate approximately 1.6 million jobs with the inclusion of youths, women and small and medium enterprises, through local manufacturing, value chains and other economic activities.
Written by Chamwe Kaira for Railways Africa
