The recent Southern African Railways Association (SARA) Conference and Exhibition featured a high-level panel discussion on “Harnessing Strategic Leadership and Policy Synergy to Transform Africa’s Transport Infrastructure for Sustainable Growth.” The session brought together senior government representatives and development partners to explore the future of rail corridors, regional integration, and investment facilitation for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Setting the Scene: Policy Imperatives and Regional Integration
Moderator Mabuza Shabalala framed the conversation around six critical themes: policy alignment, localisation and job creation, industrialisation and sustainability, skills development, inclusive growth, and collaboration. He highlighted that regional integration is becoming a reality, citing active corridor development projects including the Trans-Kalahari Railway, the Kazungula and Livingstone Corridors, and the Mmamabula–Lephalale Rail Link. These projects connect Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, and represent the backbone of future regional trade facilitation.
Botswana’s Perspective: Corridors as Equal Priorities
Hon. Keogile Atamelang, Botswana’s Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, stressed that all corridor projects hold equal priority. Botswana sees itself as a transit hub within SADC and aims to avoid becoming a “weakest link” in regional trade. Feasibility studies for key corridors are complete, and Botswana is in the process of appointing technical advisers. Legislative frameworks, particularly around open access, are being updated and are expected to be finalised by November to ensure a conducive environment for investors. Ground-breaking activities for major projects are targeted for early 2026.
Atamelang identified the need for bilateral and harmonised regulatory agreements as a key challenge, especially for the Mmamabula–Lephalale rail link, which is critical for coal exports to South Africa. Aligning policies and standardising technical requirements are vital to enable cross-border implementation.
Zimbabwe’s Ambition: Game-Changing Corridors
Hon. Joshua Sacco, Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, called for deeper policy harmonisation, axle load standardisation, and border process streamlining to enable seamless trade flows. He highlighted Zimbabwe’s two priority projects:
- Chongoene Port–Namibia Corridor: A 1,700 km east–west rail corridor linking Mozambique’s new port through Botswana to Namibia, estimated at US$6.5 billion. The African Development Bank is expected to commence the feasibility study.
- Lion’s Den–Kafue Link: Connecting northern Zimbabwe to Zambia, with EU-funded feasibility studies completed. MoUs with Zambia and Mozambique are imminent.
Zimbabwe is also collaborating with Mozambique’s CFM to upgrade the Beira–Harare line and investing its own resources in domestic infrastructure upgrades. Sacco emphasised that these projects would be “game changers” for regional trade, linking the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia with ports in Durban, Beira, and Walvis Bay.
Investment and Financing: UK’s Collaborative Approach
Ben Ainsley, Deputy Trade Commissioner for Africa (UK), focused on creating investor confidence through predictability, regulatory clarity, and transparent timelines. He highlighted the UK’s efforts to support African countries through technical assistance, regulatory advisory services, and active engagement in AfCFTA implementation to enhance regional market integration.
He outlined the role of UK Export Finance, which only requires a 20% UK content threshold for project financing—making it more flexible than many other export credit agencies. Importantly, he noted that UK funding tools are now being used to finance feasibility studies, bridging the crucial first step that often delays infrastructure projects.
BRICS Perspective: Leveraging Multilateral Funding and Innovation
Stuart Ntlathi, South Africa’s BRICS Ambassador, urged SADC countries to take full advantage of the New Development Bank (NDB), which has set aside R110 billion for 2025, much of it still untapped. He noted that BRICS is establishing an Institute for Sustainable Transport, which will support funding and capacity-building for rail projects.
Ntlathi called for greater local innovation and technology development, emphasising that while Africa does produce solutions, the challenge lies in commercialising and industrialising them for broader market adoption. He pointed to China’s rapid rail advances as an inspiration, advocating for their adaptation to the African context.
Localisation, Skills and Policy Reform
Both Atamelang and Sacco underlined their governments’ efforts to align legal frameworks with investor needs while prioritising skills transfer, job creation, and sustainable development. Botswana has revised its Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework to make it more investor-friendly and focused on human-centred development. Zimbabwe has launched the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (ZIDA) to act as a one-stop shop for investors, streamlining processes and offering incentives such as tax holidays.
A Call to Action
In their closing remarks, panellists converged on the message that regional integration, policy standardisation, and investment-friendly frameworks are key to unlocking Africa’s transport future.
- Botswana reaffirmed its commitment to Agenda 2063 and the adoption of technology-driven solutions such as predictive maintenance and drone-based data collection.
- Ainsley reiterated the UK’s position as a long-term partner, already collaborating with SARA, African universities, and Crossrail International on skills transfer and framework development.
- Ntlathi challenged governments and industry to access BRICS funding, embrace innovation, and move towards smart rail solutions that are locally created and globally competitive.
The discussion closed with a sense of optimism: feasibility studies are complete, financing tools are available, and political will is strong. The coming years will be critical in turning these plans into reality and delivering the infrastructure that will power Southern Africa’s growth.
Key Takeaways: Transforming Africa’s Rail Future
| Theme | Highlights from the Panel |
| Regional Integration | Botswana treats all corridor projects (Trans-Kalahari, Kazungula, Mmamabula–Lephalale) as equal priorities. Zimbabwe prioritises Chongoene–Namibia and Lion’s Den–Kafue corridors, both considered “game changers.” |
| Timelines | Feasibility studies are complete; technical adviser appointments and open access legislation expected by late 2025; ground-breaking targeted for early 2026. |
| Financing | UK Export Finance offers flexible funding (20% UK content minimum). BRICS NDB has R110 billion available for transport infrastructure funding in 2025. |
| Policy Reform | Botswana has revised PPP frameworks; Zimbabwe has operationalised ZIDA as a one-stop shop to simplify investment. |
| Localisation & Skills | Emphasis on skills transfer, human-centred development, and technology adoption (predictive maintenance, data-driven planning). |
| Innovation & Industrialisation | Strong call for local technology creation and commercialisation, with BRICS Institute for Sustainable Transport set to support innovation. |
