Transport ministers of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa met last week to discuss the development of the highly anticipated Trans-Kalahari Railway Line Project, which will link all three southern African countries.
The Project will cost 1,4bn US dollars and a pre-feasibility study will be undertaken in the first half of next year. Bids for this pre-feasibility study have been called for by Ministers Sibusiso Ndebele of South Africa, Frank Ramsden of Botswana and Helmut Angula of Namibia.
Government and the private sector will be involved in the Project, with interested companies having presented to the ministers at the meeting, which was held in Windhoek.
The proposed line will be used to transport coal from mines envisaged in Namibia and Botswana, as well as other bulk cargo.
The railway will promote increased regional integration and economic growth is virtually guaranteed, heralding a new age of transportation in the southern African region.
