Trans-Caprivi Corridor secures United Nations funding

Trans-Kalahari management hopefuls short-listed Kevin Mayhew NAMIBIA’S Trans-Caprivi Corridor has been singled out by the United Nations Commission for Trade and Development (Unctad) as one of three internationally deserving of its funding. It’s one of the developments announced by the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) that will impact on the corridors linking Walvis Bay in Namibia with Gauteng, Botswana and Zambia. WBCG business development executive, Frank Gschwender, told FTW that the Unctad funding begins in June or July to establish cross-border forums that will facilitate smoother functioning of the Corridor. Meanwhile the shortlist of management companies keen to operate the Trans-Kalahari Corridor has been finalised, with a heartening response from both Namibian and foreign companies to take over the running of the transport artery, according to Gschwender. “The response was better than expected and we feel that the final successful bidder will have put together a management implementation programme that will help to realise the potential of the Trans-Kalahari,” he said. He could not confirm when the final programme would be put in place, saying that it would depend on the plan and timetable of the winning bidder. The WBCG was not prescriptive in its motivation for the bids. Finally, a pilot project is being planned between the WBCG, the Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) in Rosslyn and logistics service provider, UTi, to use the Trans-Kalahari Corridor for the shipment of automotive spare parts. According to a statement from the AIDC, the pilot aims to “calibrate our theoretical evaluation of the route and its benefits to the automotive industry.” A feasibility report based on the findings of a trial shipment will be presented to the automotive industry and other interested stakeholders once the trial shipments have been completed, the AIDC said. Gshwender said the first trial shipment was planned for mid 2005. The WBCG is an umbrella body of major parties and is responsible for the promotion of Walvis Bay as a west coast port of entry and exit for the southern African region.