Ministers from Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe have signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a railway of over 1,500 km through all three countries.
The value of the railway development project is USD 600 million and each country is expected to contribute USD 200 million. For the project to achieve its goals, the developer would also need to finance the construction of deep-water port facilities at the Techobanine coastal village, south of Maputo in Mozambique.
Around 1,500 km of the railway will be located in Zimbabwe and there will be 100 km in both Botswana and Mozambique.
The Port Techobanine Heavy Haul Rail Project proposes approximately 2,000 km of railway line that will connect landlocked Zimbabwe and Botswana with port facilities in Mozambique. The project is expected to facilitate investment in mining, transport and the manufacturing sectors in the Southern African region. Zimbabwean transport minister Joram Gumbo pointed out the strategic importance of the project for the Zimbabwean economy, highlighting his country’s need for cost-effective access to seaport facilities for the importation of materials and components for the manufacturing sector and export of ore products and finished commodities. Botswana’s minister of energy Kitso Mokaila indicated that the project would assist Botswana to capitalise on the country’s unexploited coal and recently discovered uranium reserves.
The Port Techobanine rail project would offer Botswana an alternative route to the proposed Trans Kalahari Railway, which, once constructed, would provide the country’s coal exporters access to port facilities in Namibia. The Trans-Kalahari Railway would involve building a 1,500km coal line that would connect to existing port facilities at Walvis Bay. It is not clear at this time if Botswana’s commitment to the Port Techobanine Heavy Haul Rail Project will have any impact on the country’s plans with Namibia.
For the Techobanine Heavy Haul Rail Project extensive feasibility study all involved countries will seek private sector investment.
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