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REHABILITATION AND INTEGRATION OF ANGOLAN RAILWAYS
INTO SADC NETWORK A PRIORITY : SARA
The Southern African Railways Association has
declared the rehabilitation of the railways
in Angola, and their integration with other
SADC railways, a matter of high priority. SARA
undertook an evaluation of the railways in Angola,
namely, Luanda Railway in Luanda Province, Benguela
Railway in Benguela Province and Mocamedes Railway
in Lubango (Huila Province). The parties to
the consultations, that is, SARA, the government
and the three railways, explored modalities
for the rehabilitation, modernization and extension
of these railways to neighbouring countries,
namely DR Congo and Namibia.
In an effort to strengthen cooperation of the
railways in Angola with the rest of the SADC
railways, the Executive Director of SARA, Engineer
Remmy Makumbe, undertook an official two-week
visit to Angola for this purpose. The visit
was co-hosted by both the Ministry of Transport
and the three railways in Angola. During the
visit, the SARA Executive Director held meetings
with Senior Officials of the Ministry of Transport,
the management and staff of the three railways.
Consultations focused on the role SARA can play
in supporting the lobby for the financing of
the rehabilitation and modernization of the
railways in Angola, various forms of technical
assistance programmes and training of management
and staff of the railways in Angola, in the
various disciplines.
The SARA official also witnessed the launch
of the rehabilitation of Benguela Railways,
on the outskirts of Lobito, which shall progress
towards the Democratic Republic of Congo. The
party was accompanied by Angolan soldiers, which
reportedly included former UNITA combatants,
currently being integrated into the national
army. The people of Angola, at all levels demonstrated
immense enthusiasm, to restore the country to
an unprecedented state of economic and social
development.
The Southern African Railways Association (SARA),
the Government of the Republic of Angola and
the three Angolan railway companies, have been
cooperating on various issues over the past
six years. SARA has undertaken to reinforce
efforts by Angola to lobby for funds for the
rehabilitation programme.
SARA expressed its appreciation to the Government
of Angola for having supported the three railways
both financially and materially, under the most
difficult of circumstances, during the just
ended civil strife. The rehabilitation of the
railways, for which SARA has already started
lobbying financing, will see the restoration
of the Benguela rail route to the South East
of the DRC in Katanga Province, where it shall
connect with the rest of the SADC railways through
Zambia. Rehabilitation of Benguela Railway involves
restoration of over one thousand kilometers
of line and ond over fifty rail bridges damaged
during the war. Luanda Railways requires rehabilitation
of 488 kilometers of vandalized rail line, whilst
Mocamedes Railway, to be ultimately linked to
the railway in Namibia, has some 483 kilometers
of line requiring rehabilitation. The line restoration
entails replacement of steel sleepers with concrete
or wooden sleepers, upgrading the size of rail
from 30 to 40 kilogrammes per meter, as well
as elimination of sharp curves and gradients.
The Government of Angola has already launched
the Angoferro Project, which has formalized
the railway rehabilitation programme. Several
donors have already been approached to support
this project. The state has signaled its determination
to restore rail routes to intensify delivery
of goods and passengers to remote areas that
have been inaccessible for years. The government
expects that the initiative will transform the
socio economic status of its nationals through
the much needed delivery of goods and services
to its entire population, which service has
eluded them for nearly three decades. The country
is awash with a renewed spirit of development
and the expectation of Angola from the international
community in terms of financial and other assistance
is very high.
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