Executives heading up companies using the northsouth corridor (NSC) railway network linking the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with neighbouring countries to the south and east are showing increasing willingness to vacate their lofty perches for the sake of proactive engagement. In a sure move of intent the DRC’s railways enterprise, Société national des Chemins de fer du Congo, recently sent an entire delegation comprising eight senior representatives to South Africa in a bid to investigate seamless service goals. And apart from their visit to the offices of the Nepad Business Foundation (NBF) in Rivonia where NSC objectives are orchestrated, Zimbabwe at the end of February hosted a two-day workshop where railway experts examined how to overcome challenges facing border fluidity, a long-standing sticking point compromising intra-African trade.
Speaking to FTW about the railway committee gathering that was held in Harare, NBF executive Kudzanayi Bangure said “one of the key things that was up for discussion was the broader regional railway plan. “It directly addresses current border harmonisation issues that could possibly delay the roll-out of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and, in doing so, specifically focused on leveraging activities, successes and learnings from the corridor into a masterplan.” Bangure stressed that outcomes at executive discussion level had thus far proved fruitful in that they trickled through to the secretariat of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). “The secretariat in turn takes it up with the highest echelons of government and we’re beginning to see the change it’s making in greater political involvement.”
Previously ongoing criticism about regional efforts to establish intraAfrica free trade efficiencies have echoed private sector sentiments that political will is often completely lacking. But Bangure indicated that in the case of the NSC, the SADC Secretariat’s involvement was having the desired effect on officialdom. “The governments from the various countries on the corridor have always been involved. But because of the outcomes we have seen through enhanced CEO involvement and subsequent interventions by SADC, we are seeing real benefits from research results that are recirculated back to government level.” He said executive input was also rippling further north of the corridor in that the secretariat was realising that there was an overlap between SADC and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).
CEOs roll up their sleeves to boost intra-Africa freight
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