Page 11 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 26
P. 11
Economy
AUDA -NEPAD( African and raising of the standard With these key issues now
Union Development Agency) of living. Railways are the ironed out we can expect
– (New Partnership for most efficient and cheapest continued progress as
Africa`s Development). method of transporting Nigeria has a particularly
people and goods. China well designed, in fact world
The Veins of Trade stands as the best example class, Master Railway Plan
The integrated nature of of the qualitative changes which will in the near future
the railway will facilitate that high speed rail brings to connect to Maradi in Niger,
seamless freight and the economy and how it is Ouagadougou in Burkina
passenger travel through all only through high speed rail Faso and ultimately Douala
regions and will serve as the that industrialization can be in Cameroon, Cote D`Ivoire
veins of AfCFTA (African accelerated. and on to Dakar, Senegal.
Continental Free Trade
Area) which was inaugurated The majority of countries in Ethiopia, Egypt and Tanzania
on 1 January 2021. Both Africa are in the process of are continuing as trail blazers
AfCFTA and AIHSRN are modernizing and expanding within the rail industry, in
flagship projects of Agenda their national railway part due to their respective
2063. The year 2063 will networks to run at higher government’s strong
mark the centenary of the speeds and using standard commitment to AIHSRN.
founding of the original AU, gauge in most of the networks. Ethiopia inaugurated its
the Organization of African Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, electrified cross- border
Unity. Namibia, Angola, Ethiopia, train connection, the Addis-
Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Djibouti line, back in 2018 and
The most important aspect Uganda, Egypt, Morocco is continuing with outward
of the railway vision is and Tunisia are among all of links to neighbouring states,
its capacity to integrate. those who have progress to namely South Sudan.
Integrate means to make report despite challenges in
whole, unite. some cases. Tanzania`s success is quite
phenomenal. Tanzania is
Transport expenses on The Nigerian Railway almost twice the size of
the African continent are Modernization Plan is Western Europe’s largest
among the highest in the now over-coming the main country, France. The
world, raising the cost of obstacles to continued Tanzanian SGR consists of
doing business and making progress having reformed a network of about 2,000
products uncompetitive on the railway industry with km developed in six phases
global markets. Infrastructure a constitution amendment. which were explained by
deficits and energy deficits The Nigerian Railway Masanja Kadogosa, the
are the primary obstacles Corporation has similarly Director General of Tanzania
to the alleviation of poverty undergone restructuring. Railways Corporation (TRC )
ISSUE 26 | APRIL 2024 11
