Railways Africa NewsXpress: Week 17:2024
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Zambia Launches National Green Growth Strategy with COMESA Support
In a significant move towards sustainable development, the Government of Zambia, supported by COMESA and multiple international partners, has officially launched the National Green Growth Strategy (GGS). This strategic initiative, unveiled in Lusaka on April 24, 2024, by the Minister for Green Economy and Environment, Hon. Eng. Collins Nzovu, is designed to align Zambia’s economic growth with environmental sustainability.
The GGS lays out a plan for resilient, climate-compatible growth, resource efficiency, and enhanced natural capital. It aims to transition Zambia to a green economy by 2030, focusing on key sectors such as agriculture, energy, and water management to promote sustainable infrastructure and resilience against climate change.
The strategy is part of Zambia’s broader commitment to its Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement, seeking to reduce emissions and create green job opportunities. With backing from the NDC Partnership and various global entities, including the EU and the World Bank, Zambia’s green transformation exemplifies regional collaboration for sustainable development.
Malawi Ratifies Tripartite Free Trade Agreement, Bringing It Closer to Activation
Malawi has become the twelfth nation to ratify the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement (TFTA), edging the multi-nation deal closer to its activation threshold of 14 countries. The ratification document, signed by Malawi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Nancy Tembo, was officially delivered to COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe on 23 April 2024.
The TFTA, launched in Egypt in June 2015, aims to streamline economic activities across three regional economic communities: the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). To date, 22 member states have signed the agreement, with ratifications now including Egypt, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Eswatini, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi.
The agreement’s primary objectives are to create a unified free trade area to enhance trade and investment regulations, promote inter-regional infrastructure projects, and improve cooperation across transport, communications, and financial sectors. These efforts are expected to facilitate the movement of businesspersons within the tripartite region and foster broader economic integration based on market integration, industrial development, and infrastructure enhancement.
With Malawi’s ratification, momentum is building for the remaining two member states to ratify the TFTA, potentially unlocking significant economic opportunities for the region.
Green Light for Second Phase of Lagos Blue Line Rail Project
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority has confirmed that financing for the second phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line has been secured. The African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Access Bank have agreed to jointly fund the completion of this crucial infrastructure project.
The Afreximbank team has expressed satisfaction with the project’s progress and anticipates a ramp-up in construction activities in the coming weeks. Finalisation of the necessary paperwork is underway and is expected to be signed by the Lagos State Government soon.
Stretching 14km from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, the second phase of the Blue Line is set to significantly enhance transport in Lagos. It promises a faster and more convenient commute for residents travelling between the Island and the mainland.
Upon its completion, the Blue Line is projected to transport over 450,000 passengers daily, greatly improving the public transport system in the region.
South Africa:
Next Step For The Luxembourg Rail Protocol
The Luxembourg Rail Protocol has now been approved by Parliament, so the next step requires the government to formally present the instrument of ratification in Rome at UNIDROIT. This comes just in time, as the next practical workshop on the implementation of the Luxembourg Rail Protocol will take place on 15th May 2024, from 14:00 to 16:30 CEST, at The Stockholm Centre of Commercial Law, University of Stockholm.
The Luxembourg Rail Protocol to the Cape Town Convention entered into force in contracting states on 8th March 2024. It creates new possibilities for operators, financiers, manufacturers, and their respective advisers in the rail and rail finance sectors, making it easier and cheaper for the private sector to finance new and existing fleets of rolling stock.
Find out more here: https://www.railworkinggroup.org/
Congratulations to Professor Jan Havenga on his appointment to the Board of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa Marks Milestone with Trainset 200 Delivery and Southern Line Re-signalling
On 23 April 2024, Ms. Sindisiwe Chikunga, the Minister of Transport, officially commemorated the delivery of trainset 200 and the re-signalling of the Southern Line in Cape Town. Organised by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), the event was attended by the National Department of Transport, members of PRASA’s Board of Control and Management, and representatives from Gibela, among others.
Gibela, comprising OEM Alstom (70%) and Ubumbano Rail (30%), is the consortium responsible for manufacturing 600 Alstom-designed XTrapolis Mega EMU trains, equating to 3600 coaches. These trains are fondly referred to as Isitimela Sabantu, which translated to English means ‘the people’s train’.
In highlighting the historical challenges of PRASA, coupled with the devastating impact of theft and vandalism of the PRASA system nationwide during Covid, the minister touched on the Agency’s turnaround plan, which included:
A Rolling-stock Fleet Renewal Programme: Procurement of 600 new modern high-tech trains, along with a maintenance contract to ensure a consistent supply of spare parts, reigniting reliability and comfort.Station Modernisation: PRASA has identified 135 stations with high commuter traffic within the modernisation corridors of the rail network. These stations are slated for enhancements, aiming to elevate the customer experience.Signalling Upgrade: PRASA has embarked on a process to replace all existing signalling interlocking, comprising mainly obsolete mechanical and electromechanical systems, with electronic interlocking as the technology of choice.
To date, PRASA has partially recovered and reopened 31 of the 40 corridors it operates, and work to revitalise the passenger rail service continues. In the Western Cape, which encompasses 14 lines across five municipalities, PRASA has partially restored 12 of the 14 lines.
“There is a belief among so many of us that the sufficient provision of public transport will benefit our broader ideal of a nation that works, an idea which sits central to our plan to revive the economy, make a serious dent in unemployment, improve the standards of people’s lives and place the building blocks for a better life for all.”
Rail Reform In South Africa: Progress And Challenges
A brief discussion on the future of rail transport in South Africa with Ngwako Makaepea, Deputy Director General of Rail Transport, during the PRASA celebration in Cape Town on 23 April 2024.
Ngwako highlights the Department of Transport’s commitment to advancing rail reform, emphasising the importance of laying down foundational building blocks for a robust system. He discusses key initiatives such as the freight logistics roadmap and the establishment of the Transnet Infrastructure Manager.
Celebrating Progress
Reggie Boqo On Gibela’s Milestones
And Future Prospects
During the recent PRASA celebration on 23 April 2024, which marked both the launch of the 200th train and the resignalling of the Southern Line in Cape Town, we had the opportunity to speak with Reggie Boqo, the Acting CEO of Gibela and former Chief Financial Officer.
Reggie highlighted the milestone of 214 trains manufactured to date, noting that the company reached peak production this past financial year by manufacturing 62 trains. He assures that Gibela is set to maintain this production rate in this financial year as well, having scaled up operations and engaged extensively with their supplier base and supply chain ecosystem.
PRASA’s Progress And Innovation In Train Systems And Signalling: An Interview With Athanacious Makgamatha
On April 23, at a celebratory event marking the 200th trainset and the re-signalling of the Southern Line in Cape Town, Athanacious Makgamatha, General Manager: SAD Signals and Telecoms, shared insights into the latest advancements in South Africa’s passenger rail systems with Railways Africa Magazine, discussing ongoing progress and future plans.
In respect of the Southern Line, Makgamatha highlighted the complete recovery of the signalling system from Cape Town to Simonstown, enabling reduced intervals between trains. “We are able to run at 20 minutes headways,” he noted, indicating the significant improvement in frequency and flexibility in train scheduling. Interestingly enough, the system can get down to two and a half minutes headway; however, only achievable once the line is fully recovered.
Navigating The Rails Of Change:
Professor Havenga Comments On Current Rail Developments In South Africa
Professor Jan Havenga, the newly appointed board member of PRASA, offered an insightful dialogue on current rail affairs in South Africa, during the celebration of the PRASA’s 200th train launch in Cape Town on 23 April 2024.
Havenga’s expertise in freight logistics will bring fresh perspectives to passenger rail transport. Despite his initial uncertainty regarding his appointment, the positive developments at PRASA took him by surprise, contrasting starkly with his prior work on a road-to-rail strategy for South Africa’s treasury, where he saw little hope for passenger services. He stated that at that time he felt that Europe was better off after the Second World War because it was bombed out; they rebuilt it from scratch.
Despite the low base from which PRASA is starting, Havenga acknowledged the hard work of the management team, led by CEO Hishaam Emeran. Their dedication has impressed him, especially considering the limited resources they have had at their disposal. Havenga believes that PRASA might be overreaching at this stage and should instead focus on working with what they have and optimising existing corridors.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by Professor Jan Havenga are his own and do not represent those of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), Transnet, or any other organisations mentioned in the interview.
Land-Linked Zambia Event Highlights Zambia’s Railway and Transport Vision for Regional Integration
During the Land-Linked Zambia event held on April 4-5, 2024, Honourable Frank Tayali, Zambia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, outlined the nation’s ambitious plans to become a central transport hub in Southern Africa. The conference, themed ‘Connecting Zambia by Land,’ brought together industry experts to discuss enhancing trade, investment, and the seamless movement of goods and services across Zambia and beyond.
Minister Tayali highlighted the strategic development of key transport corridors that include the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor, the Lobito Corridor, the Nacala Corridor, the North-South Corridor, the Beira Corridor and the Central Corridor. These corridors are pivotal in transforming Zambia into a land-linked nexus, leveraging its rich resources and strategic location to boost regional connectivity.
Strategic Corridor Developments
Lobito Corridor: Focus on enhancing road and railway infrastructure and upgrading border posts between Angola and Zambia.Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors: Rehabilitation of the Great North Road from Kapiri Mposhi to Nakonde, revitalization of the TAZARA railway, and modernization of the Nakonde border post in Tanzania.Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor: Development of the Livingstone-Sesheke Road, new railway links from Livingstone to Grootfontein, Namibia, and operationalizing the Zambian Dry Port in Walvis Bay.North-South Corridor: Upgrades to the Zambia Railways Network to improve connections into Zimbabwe.Nacala Corridor: Enhancement of the Katete to Chanida Road leading to Mozambique and transformation of the Chanida border posts into a one-stop facility.Beira Corridor: Construction of a new railway from Kafue to Harare, which includes turning these corridors into ‘smart corridors’ equipped with advanced technology for better management and service.
Newly appointed CEO of Namibia’s railway company, TransNamib, Desmond Ernst Van Jaarsveld, says he took up the challenge of heading the company because he recognised a unique opportunity to significantly impact TransNamib’s operations and overall performance.
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