Namibia, Botswana affirm commitment to Trans-Kalahari Railway Project

Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa and Botswana’s Minister of Transport and Public Works, Eric Molala, affirmed their commitment to the Trans-Kalahari Railway Project during a meeting in Windhoek on Wednesday.

Mutorwa said the project is gaining momentum and that visible developments are on the way.

“Roads play a very important role in the transportation of people, services and goods, but rail transportation is much better in terms of the transportation of lives,” Mutorwa said.

He added that people cannot exchange goods if there is no transportation infrastructure.

Molale meanwhile said the justification for the Trans-Kalahari Railway Project could not have come at a better time.

“The people of Namibia and the people of Botswana will benefit from this rail line,” Molale said.

The meeting was held to discuss the two countries’ mutual interests and the progress made thus far on the Trans-Kalahari railway.

The governments of Namibia and Botswana in 2010 signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate the development of the Trans-Kalahari railway line connecting Botswana’s Mmamabula coal fields to Walvis Bay in Namibia. The two governments signed a bilateral agreement in 2014 to establish the 1 500 kilometre line.

Namibia and Botswana reaffirmed their commitment to the multibillion-dollar Trans-Kalahari railway project in 2022.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency