adminChristopher Farai Charamba Correspondent
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) states that Chirundu Border Post is: “the most preferred entry point for commercial traffic into Zambia from South Africa and other commercial ports to the South, or through to and from Central and Eastern Africa.”
Since Chirundu border became an OSBP the increased efficiency has led to higher traffic flows which have generated more income for Government revenue and also saved money for business plying that route as delays of up to 72 hours have been reduced to under six hours.
Opened in 2009, the Chirundu OSBP is certainly a step in the right direction towards Sadc regional integration. Based on the successes and efficiency of the Chirundu OSBP, Tanzania has this year announced plans to develop their own OSBP through a public private partnership initiative.
Making travel and transport systems more efficient around the region should be seen as a top priority for Sadc. The North-South transport corridor that links South Africa to the north is the busiest transport link in eastern and southern Africa.
In 2009 there were 13 million tonnes of cross-border traffic in the Sadc region. This is expected to increase to 50 million tonnes by 2030, and is projected to reach 148 million tonnes by 2040.
According to Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Policy Program there are two main reasons for the importance of the corridor which extends over the territories of three RECs, Comesa, Sadc and Sacu.
The first, is that South Africa is the largest African trading partner in the region and the second, is that the port of Durban handles a significant proportion of transit traffic for the landlocked states and is also the busiest port in Africa.
The corridor thus connects Botswana, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe and also interlinks to other corridors including the Trans-Kalahari, Beira, Lobito, Dar es Salaam and Nacala corridors. While road traffic is important and has increased in efficiency there are still concerns with the network. On the road to Lusaka through the Kapiri Ngozi mountain range there were no less than three good trucks which had overturned. Earlier this year 11 people died in a bus accident on the same road.
One cannot rule out the necessity of road traffic, however, the region needs to invest in a modern rail network across the north-south corridor in order to make travel and transport more efficient.
Since 1996 Sadc has claimed to be “committed to fostering a functional and integrated rail network throughout Southern Africa. This commitment is outlined in the Protocol on Transport, Communication and Meteorology.” Close to 20 years later not much has been achieved in developing the rail network in the region. Despite this in the 2012 Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan there are 31 Sadc rail projects that are under consideration.
Financing seems to be the biggest obstacle to revitalising the rail networks in the region. In this regard it would be prudent to explore public private partnerships in building and running the rail networks.
In fact the Sadc Protocol on Transport, Communication and Meteorology clearly states that “Member States should collaborate on harmonised policies for railway use and implementation that economically restructures the railways by increasing the role of the private sector.”
A properly functioning and implemented rail network is certainly more efficient and cost effective than road transport. Not only is this beneficial for the transportation of goods but also passengers particularly cross border traders across the region.
Tourism is another area than can benefit from such a network with history tours across the region akin to the Trans-Siberian Railway Tour in Russia. A local version of which could trace the steps of the liberation movements in the Frontline States for example, from Tanzania to Mozambique to Zambia.
Zimbabwe certainly does have the potential to develop a rail network however political and economic will of the government and the private sector are the only means by which this can be accomplished.
Unfortunately like other state owned enterprises the NRZ has been suffered the fate of corruption and inefficiency. A serious overhaul of the railway company and perhaps entering a PPP could be the only effective means of re-establishing the local rail network.
Alongside the rebuilding of the NRZ, recapitalising Ziscosteel should be seen as a priority if a viable rail network is to be a success. Zimbabwe has the necessary minerals and potential to achieve this with the correct amount of administration and corporate governance.
Zimbabwe can be the pioneer in the region of building a rail network and such a project should be seen as a national agenda which the whole nation should buy into. There exists an opportunity not only to develop the country but also to create jobs.
With the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement signed this year between Comesa, EAC and Sadc countries developing a functioning rail network will be beneficial in improving the efficiency and cost of doing business across the region and the continent.
Online Reporter