News Analysis: Africa Ambitious to Harmonize Railway Lines

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 13, 2002

News Analysis: Africa Ambitious to Harmonize Railway Lines

Africa is resolved to harmonize railway lines left over by such colonist powers as Britain, Germany and Portugal in a bid to achieve economic development in the new century.

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Africa is resolved to harmonize railway lines left over by such colonist powers as Britain, Germany and Portugal in a bid to achieve economic development in the new century.

Thus, more than 150 government officials, specialists and business leaders from 53 African countries gathered here Monday to host the three-day Africa Rail 2002 Conference with the theme on integration of the railway system in Africa.

Observers here noted that the move is part of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which is an ambitious program launched to achieve the renaissance of the continent.

Rail is involved in two of the 10 super priorities of the NEPAD plan. The ultimate aim is to integrate rail operations across national borders to facilitate trade not only between African states but also between Africa and the rest of the world.

This is also one of the concrete measures taken by the African governments after the launching of the African Union in South Africa's coastal city of Durban on July 10, they added.

South African Transport Minister Abdulah Omar said at the conference that Africa wants to integrate the railway systems in order to form an internationally competitive network, adding "against the backdrop of the NEPAD objectives and goals, the development could have taken place in a more sustainable manner."

Specialists suggested rail cooperation and collaboration activities among the African countries, including selling and leasing of locomotives and wagons, are becoming involved as concessionaires and consultants and participating in joint ventures for the provision of rail infrastructure and freight-handling facilities.

The initial development of rail systems in Africa took place under colonial rule. The objectives of these powers were not so much the advancement of African interests, as the maximization of profits for the inhabitants of Europe.

Viewing the continent as a whole, the separate railway systems are not integrated at all, with the exception of the central and eastern portion of southern Africa.

A cursory glance at railway map of Africa will show that the arterial routes run from inland areas to ports. The exception is south and southeast Africa where an effort was made to interconnect various industrial areas

On the west, lines run to the coast but are rarely connected. Aprime example is Angola where three lines run parallel from east to west.

According to the minister, plans are now afoot to connect these lines. Similarly, a project to join the lines of Namibia and Angola is being contemplated.

However, Abdulah Omar noted, the investment in railways in the region is not regarded as a high priority with only 4 percent allocated to it, compared to a whopping 55 percent going to the development of highways.

"It is therefore very important that the railway owners and operators of the region should collaborate and cooperate in their efforts to promote the rail mode as a contributors to the development of the region," he urged.

Specialists noted that with peace and stability in southern Africa, especially the cessation of hostilities in Angola, prospects for economic growth are better than they have been for several decades.

Conditions are favorable for further development and improvement of international and inter-regional trade. As regional cooperation intensifies, effective and efficient transport throughout the region is increasingly important.

In most countries of the region, adjustments and changes are already taking place in the transport sector.

Africa is a continent rich in natural resources of minerals, arable land and people. These basic constructs can form the basis for immense economic growth and prosperity for 830 million people.

Herman Evert, general manager for Strategy and System of Spoornet Company of South Africa, said that transport corridors have and continue to play an important role in the economy of the continent.

For instance, he added, the strategic positioning of the Maputorail and port infrastructure indicates that the network should be promoted as the primary corridor serving Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Swaziland, the Mpumalanga province of South Africa.

Shaun Scott, associate director from the Johannesburg Office of Accenture of South Africa, said that in many African countries the rail organizations are inherited from a colonialist past. Key transformation drives in Africa's rail companies continue to be the commercialization and privatization of these companies.

He noted that the rail industry continues to face the challenges of ever-increasing competitive pressure, changing customer requirements and evolving technological, political and economic forces.

Johan Kirk, executive director of the Australian Railway Association, said at the conference that changing public perceptions of rail is critical to the future of the rail industry.

"Rail needs strong public support to convince politicians to provide better funding and better political policy to encourage rail development," he said.

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