Botswana and Namibia, which plan to build the Trans-Kalahari Railway (TKR) linking Botswana’s coal fields with Namibia’s Port of Walvis Bay, regard railway infrastructure as the backbone of integrated markets and regional development.
Speaking at the Joint Ministerial Committee meeting on the TKR project held in Maun, Botswana, on 15 August, Botswana’s Minister of Transport and Public Works, Noah Salakae, emphasised the strategic importance of the project. Transport officials gathered in Maun to receive the progress report from CPCS Transcom Limited, the consultant on the project. The inception report on the project has already been approved by the two governments.
Salakae said, given the environmental challenges coal faces in today’s markets, Botswana and Namibia must explore innovative financing models that blend public and private sector investments with development capital to bring the project to fruition.
He stressed that the Trans-Kalahari Railway is not only a transport initiative but also a major development project, expected to catalyse the creation of new towns, industrial zones, agricultural hubs, and the planned Kalahari City, a multi-billion-dollar smart city in Botswana’s Kalahari Desert, designated for special economic activities. Salakae said the TKR Corridor has the potential to sustain 230,000 people. The Trans-Kalahari Railway infrastructure is expected to cover a distance of 1500 kilometres.
To attract investment, Salakae said the two countries must be ready to deregulate, separate infrastructure management from train operations, provide open access for qualified operators, and promote competition to enhance efficiency. He also pointed out that existing challenges facing Botswana Railways must be addressed to boost investor and stakeholder confidence.
He urged that the feasibility study go beyond technical and cargo considerations, noting the natural synergies between the TKR and the existing Trans-Kalahari Corridor (TKC), a road link connecting South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia.
Salakae said both the TKR and the TKC share the same strategic goal: connecting our countries to global markets. By aligning these projects, we can create an integrated, multimodal network that includes rail, road, and border infrastructure, offering investors a seamless logistics platform.
He added that if feasibility figures do not immediately convince financiers, Botswana and Namibia must innovate and adapt, building partnerships to realise the project.
He called on technocrats to think outside the box and explore creative financing strategies to make the TKR a reality, even if the detailed feasibility study raises concerns about its viability.
Namibia’s Minister of Works and Transport, Veikko Nekundi, added that the TKR is more than just a railway; it is a strategic instrument to unlock regional trade, create jobs, and stimulate investment in Namibia, Botswana, and beyond.
Nekundi expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far on the feasibility study and emphasised the importance of maintaining momentum as the project moves into the next phase: securing private sector investment, finalising financial models, and ensuring regulatory and operational readiness.
Nekundi said the next step on the project is to take firm steps to build the project. He said this will include private sector investment, financial models and regulatory and operational readiness.
He concluded by reaffirming Namibia’s commitment to delivering the TKR through a transparent public-private partnership that brings value to both nations.
Written for Railways Africa by Chamwe Kaira
