Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana and Namibia have reaffirmed a commitment to the Trans-Kalahari Railway line (TKR), to promote distribution of regional traffic among corridors in Southern Africa, increased regional integration and international cooperation.
Speaking at the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) of the TKR in Kasane on Friday, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae said the railway line was a spine for economic transformation, encompassing logistics hubs, industrial clusters, energy infrastructure and trade zones amongst others.
“We must think in terms of catalytic value of jobs created not just in construction but agribusiness, mining services, clean energy generation and digital logistics platforms that can thrive in smartly planned corridor economy,” said Minister Salakae.
The TKR, he said was a smart rail transportation system that would pull citizens of both nations from isolation, create employment as well as turn quiet villages, towns and cities into thriving commercial centres and tourist destinations.
Mr Salakae commended the JMC for appointing a consultant in March as that set a strong foundation for advancing the roadmap collectively set to realise this vital project.
He further said Botswana was in the process of developing Botswana Infrastructure Investment Plan aimed at upgrading and expanding infrastructure ecosystem, to unlock broader economic opportunities.
The minister said President Advocate Duma Boko and Namibia President, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in their meeting recently, underscored that TKR was key infrastructure development cultivating substantial increase in the value of exports, job creation, economic diversification and stimulate economic growth for both nations.
For his part, Namibia’s Minister of Transport and Works, Mr Veikko Nekundi said the aim of the project was to facilitate trade, movement of commodities and people not just for Botswana and Namibia but the rest of Africa under Africa Continental Free Trade Area.
He said analysts projected economic growth in the region to be 4.2 per cent this year, far below the seven per cent achieved elsewhere in other regions hence the realisation of the project had countless benefits for the people locally and regionally.
“When economies grow, opportunities are created and poverty is eradicated, welfare of our is people improved hence the realisation of this railway line will breathe a new life to our people,” said Mr Nekundi.
He pointed out that it was worrisome that since Botswana and Namiba entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for this project in 2010, no single kilometre of the railway line had been constructed.
Mr Nekundi implored the technical team of implementers to perform their duties expeditiously, to ensure the mammoth project came into fruition for the benefit of Batswana and Namibians.
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