Railway project to connect Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Each nation to invest $200m

Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique – three nations of Southern African Development Community (SADC) among 16 southern African countries – have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a railway line which will connect those three countries.

According to the President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, the railway line connecting Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique will be a boost for regional integration. “The Port Techobanine Inter-regional Heavy Haul Railway project is one of the crucial projects we agreed on. It will lead to the creation of an international trade route linking Francis town in Botswana, Bulawayo in Zimbabwe and the Mozambican port of Techobanine to the eastern markets,” he said.

Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe are currently working on timelines to facilitate implementation of the railway project whose length is projected to be close to 2,000 kilometres. The three governments including private partners are likely to pump out funds for the project. According to the signed memorandum of unit, each country will provide around USD 200 million with the rest of the work to be done through public-private partnerships, as reported by Construction Review Online.

The venture will boost inter-regional trade upon completion, through shipment of passengers and up to 12 million tons of goods every year passing through the three nations. The proposed railway line follows the SADC’s objective on development of infrastructure that encourages the formulation of infrastructure to promote regional integration.

“The project needs to be fast-tracked because more being a vital trade corridor, the project will unlock the economic potential of the three countries and contribute towards greater regional integration,” Masisi added.

On the other hand, President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa emphasized in support of Masisi saying that there was a requirement for the project to be quickly implemented as it carried economic value for three nations.

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