Stakeholders urge AU leaders to fast track rail operation

Our Reporter

 

PARTICIPANTS at the webinar on the African High-Speed Railway Project have called on African Union and leaders of the continent to fast track implementation of the high-speed rail to support the implementation of the continental free trade area.

The webinar, which was moderated by Mr. Olawale Rasheed of the African Railway Roundtable, was organised on July 29, by the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) and facilitated by the agency’s Project Adviser, Louis Napo Gnagbe, with top railway and infrastructure leaders on the continent participating.

AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa Mr. Raila Odinga, who chaired the event, challenged the continent to walk the talk, stressing that, “if Europe and North America could transform their railway systems in the time they did, Africa can even do better now”.

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Odinga, who noted the many railway developments across Africa, said the continent has spent a lot of time on planning and emphasised that now is the time to hit the ground running as the world will not wait any longer.

Citing the new free trade area, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), the AU High Representative said transport logistics and interconnectivity are critical to the success of the project, decrying the very low connectivity among Africans due to poor transport connection.

Director of Infrastructure and Energy at the AU Commission Mr. Cheikh Bedda noted the strategic importance of the high-speed rail to Africa’s development. He informed the meeting participants that the commission is set to push ahead with the implementation process.