SOUTHERN AFRICAN RAILWAYS ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE MEETINGS: MAPUTO 1-3 OCTOBER 2008
WELCOME SPEECH BY ENGINEER RUI FONSECA: PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF CFM BOARD
GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. IT IS MY ABSOLUTE PLEASURE AND PREVILEGE TO WELCOME YOU TO CFM AND THE COASTAL CITY OF MAPUTO. WE FEEL HONOURED TO HOST THE THREE SARA COMMITTEES FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS. AS CFM, WE HAVE OVER THE YEARS BEEN FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEALS THAT SARA STANDS FOR AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR REGIONAL RAILWAYS.
OUR RAILWAYS TODAY ARE FACED BY A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES WHICH INCLUDE AGEING INFRASTRUCTURE, OBSOLETE EQUIPMENT AND HIV AND AIDS. THESE HAVE IMPACTED NEGATIVELY ON THE CAPACITY OF RAILWAYS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO ITS CUSTOMERS ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF INCREASING COMPETITION FROM ROAD. THERE IS NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT IN LINE WITH THE BRAZZAVILLE DECLATION.
OF LATE, WE HAVE SEEN INCREASES IN THE WORLD PRICE OF FUEL TO UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS, A SITUATION WHICH WILL NATURALLY PUT PRESSURE ON THE RAILWAYS TO INREASE CAPACITY GIVEN THAT RAILWAYS ARE A RELATIVELY FUEL EFFICIENT AND CHEAPER MODE OF TRANSPORT. RAILWAYS SHOULD THEREFORE GEAR THEMSELVES UP TO MEET THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN DEMAND.
OUR OPERATIONS SHOULD BE GUIDED BY OUR OBJECTIVE TO OFFER A COST EFFECTIVE SEAMLESS SERVICE. THIS OBJECTIVE CANNOT BE ACHIEVED UNLESS OUR RAILWAYS COOPERATE. IN THIS REGARD, SARA CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT GROUPS (CMGs) SHOULD BE THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR REGIONAL BUSINESS STRATEGY. I AM AWARE THAT SOME CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT GROUPS HAVE NOT BEEN MEETING AS PER AGREED SCHEDULES, A SITUATION WHICH SHOULD CHANGE IF WE ARE TO BE ABLE TO JOINTLY PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR CUSTOMERS. MAY I ALSO REMIND YOU THAT THE CONCEPT OF CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT GROUPS IS ENSHRINED IN THE SADC PROTOCOL ON TRANSPORT, COMMUNICATIONS AND METEOROLOGY AND AS SUCH RAILWAYS SHOULD NOT BE SEEN TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THIS IMPERATIVE.
RAILWAYS SHOULD EMBRACE DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY IF THEY ARE TO BECOME COMPETITIVE. IN THIS REGARD, DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL STANDARDS IS KEY TO ALLOW INTEROPERABILITY AND REDUCE COST. I AM AWARE THAT YOU WILL COVER SOME OF THESE ISSUES IN YOUR AGENDA AND I URGE YOU TO THOROUGHLY DEAL WITH THEM. RESOURCE SHARING AMONG SARA MEMBERS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED BEARING IN MIND THE NEED TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE THE OWNERS OF THE REOURCES.
RAILWAY SAFETY REMAINS PARAMOUNT TO OUR SERVICE OFFERING DUE TO ITS EFFECTS ON THE QUALITY OF SERVICE AND OUR FINANCIAL BOTTOM LINE. ACCIDENTS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO RAILWAYS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES MORESO IN THE FACE OF THE EXPENSIVE NATURE OF RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT, AND DWINDLING RAILWAY CAPACITY. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE LOSING SUCH EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT. OUR OPERATIONS SHOULD THEREFORE BE UNDERLINED BY A HIGH DEGREE OF SAFETY AS THIS WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT OURSELVES BUT OUR CUSTOMERS AS WELL AND THE REGION AS A WHOLE.
I AM FULLY AWARE OF THE TASK THAT IS BEFORE YOU AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL BE EQUAL TO THE TASK BY MEETING THE OBJECTIVES OF THESE MEETINGS. MAY I ALSO URGE YOU TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE CITY OF MAPUTO AND ALSO TRY OUR FOOD ESPECIALLY OUR FAMOUS PRAWNS!
MAY I ONCE AGAIN SAY WELCOME TO CFM, WELCOME TO MAPUTO AND WELCOME TO MOZAMBIQUE. I WISH YOU SUCCESS IN YOUR DELIBERATIONS AND A SAFE STAY IN MAPUTO. YOU ARE MOST WELCOME AND THEREFORE FEEL AT HOME.
THANK YOU
MUINTO OBRIGADO
MERCI BEAUCOUP
