President, Rupiah Banda says the high cost of transport in Africa has negatively impacted on Africa’s competitive capacity on the global economic market.
Speaking during the official opening of the North South Corridor Donor Pledging Conference which opened in Lusaka today Mr. Banda said there is need for Africa to adopt an integrated approach for public and private sector partnership in efforts of improving the state of infrastructure.
He acknowledged efforts initiated at national and regional levels in efforts of addressing the challenges confronting the development of the continent.
He expressed hope that the North-South Corridor project, once implemented, would remove infrastructure bottlenecks along the corridor with the objective of contributing to sustained economic growth and development.
He welcomed the initiative by COMESA, SADC and EAC to embark on the infrastructure development effort aimed at reducing the cost of doing business in the region.
The project also focuses at simplifying and harmonization of customs’ procedure and legislation as well as developing the energy sector.
“The project will focus on the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures and legislation. Harmonization of information technology systems and electronic customs managements system, harmonization to axle load and vehicle dimensions of road transit charges regulations and carrier licenses, regulatory issues relating to performance monitoring as well as energy development in the sub region,” Mr. Banda.
President Banda expressed hope that the project could be replicated to other regions on the continent with a view to enhancing the flow of goods for enhanced trade.
President Banda noted that the economic crisis in Africa has been compounded by limited infrastructure and the lack of sufficient energy required for the expansion investment.
Mr Banda observed that increased foreign investment flow in the region has exerted pressure on the existing infrastructure.
“Africa’s situation has further been compounded by limited infrastructure and a lack of sufficient energy to cater for expansion in investment activities that have emerged in the recent past,” he added.
“ In addition, the increase in the flow of foreign investment and the expansion of economic activities in the region, in the recent past, has added pressure on existing infrastructure,” he added.
The Two day high level meeting attended by South African President, Kgalema Motlanthe, Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni which has attracted about 350 participants is aimed at mobilizing resources for infrastructure development in the three regions.
Mr. Banda has assured the COMESA-EAC-SADC community of Zambia’s commitment towards the implementation of the North-South Corridor infrastructure development project.
He said said government is affecting policy measures focusing at infrastructure development through increased resource allocation.
Mr. Banda said Zambia is already making headway in the development of border facilities and streamlining border processes in line with the objectives of the regional infrastructure development project.
He indicated that the Chirundu Border is undergoing redesigning to a One-Border-Stop-Point while the Zimba-Livingstone Road is currently being upgraded.
Mr Banda is also confident that regional efforts to improve infrastructure and trade could help reduce effects of the current global economic recession on the regional economy.
Earlier, African Union Deputy Chairman, Erastus Mwencha, welcomed the collaboration by the three regional bodies as it is in line with the AU’s objective of promoting integration and cooperation in efforts of promoting economic development on the continent.
Mr Mwencha emphasized the need for infrastructure development as it is key to addressing economic challenges on the continent.
And speaking on behalf of EAC Chairman, Paul Kagame, Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, attributed the economic problems the continent is facing to the absence of social economic transformation.
Mr. Museveni also criticized the exportation of raw materials from Africa as having deprived the continent of the required value for economic development.
He also emphasized the need for increased partnership on the global scale to effectively tackle the effects of the global economic current.
SADC Chairman Mr Motlanthe said there was abroad consensus on the need to develop infrastructure as it plays a significant in stimulating economic growth and enhancing intra-Africa trade.
The North South Corridor is a combination of two traditional corridors 9 Durban corridor and the Dar-es Salaam Corridor linking the port of Durban and others in Southern Africa to the Eastern Port of Dar-es Salaam .
The Durban corridor and others in Southern Africa to the Eastern Port of Dar – es Salaam .
Improvement to the corridor will implemented sequentially and will lead to transport cost savings and Africa based businesses in the order of US 150 million per year.
World trade Organization Director General Pascal Lammy said Aid for Trade is essential to support Africa’s own economic growth agenda.
He said the corridor is an example of a highly innovative regional aid for trade approach that can transform competitiveness and enhance regional trade flows.
“ The corridor projects will promote development and poverty alleviation in the southern Africa region and promote deeper regional integration, ‘ he said.
ZANIS/ENDS/SJK/MKM/
All I hear today is what I already know. Somehow boring.
Zambia as a conduit of the north-south corridor stands to benefit, it is clear why we are hosting the grouping. I just hope the talks are not mere lip service ,but something that will materialize into an envious project for Zambia and indeed other countries .
Why is Katumbi degracing this page? and what is RB rumbling about?
wiseman-reborn#2 – your optimism is great
#4 Mikomfwa, thanks a lot optimism is far much great than pessimism , though being in touch with reality should be considered
You people,so that how sweet a woman is.I just used to hear,hahaha.
What are you talking about RB?
#Kitwe man, can you elaborate? You Kitwe people are something else!
kitwe man katumbi is a man, not woman. wilatusebanya iwe lol
Moses Katumbi, where is V J AAHH!
In “Mr. Banda has assured the COMESA-EAC-SADC community of Zambia’s commitment towards the implementation of the North-South Corridor infrastructure development project”, what do COMESA, EAC and SADC represent?
In terms of these corridors being mentioned, Zambia just needs to open straight working routes through Angola and Mozambique including Namibia which I believe offered us a piece of land at her ocean coast. There is no need to beat about the bush when cheap infrastructure and maintaining it can be achieved by bringing our easy neighbours aboard instead of aiming too much high with large costs.
This “Mr Banda is also confident that regional efforts to improve infrastructure and trade could help reduce effects of the current global economic recession on the regional economy” does not help us either. Our model of being a TRADING Nation has not helped us and this is time to go into massive production or manufacturing to supply needs to the people of Zambia and the SADC region. Let us compete with quality goods and that way we will begin to make progress.
Now Maestro , if HH were to become the next president , He will indeed ascribe to the regional groupings .This is a fact. Then he is going to consider Angola route via north -western or through singongo in kalabo. The Mozambique route is another vital route . In my view , what is at steak right now is north -south corridor…..I rest my case
It is a hallmark of wisdom and intelligence to under stand , the subject of discussion…..People are gathered for North -south corridor … Not, emphasis , not , North-western , nor via kalabo and Yuka to Angola neither is it through port feira …..
Whomever , Shall be our next President will still get a hand over from RB.Starting from where he left, giving tips about OP, the defense Chiefs , the police etc… Presidency is a complex matter.
Can I be criticized on three postings above and I shall learn without responding….
I think parliament will be very interesting 5-10 years from now with all our professorships and we debate in the interest of the common Zambian…….
A Follow up to #17…I wish not be misunderstood , when presumably we have reached our academic desires…professors etc And we are in the house of assembly and law makers
Mr. Banda has made me feel so good inside with his analysis on the North-South Corridor. Clearly this is a man who knows what he is doing and knows what he is talking about.
I will contrast the North-South Corridor with the line of rail situation in Zambia. In Zambia, farmers rarely invest in areas which are lacking proper rail infrastructure simply because their goods cannot reach the place of market (Lusaka, CB). This leads to poor development ability of the communities lacking a rail line to develop. Sure the alternative is road transportation but if you are sending huge quantities of goods to the place of market, the alternative is very expensive compared to the rail mode of transportation. Due to the costs, it is not in ones best interests to invest in an area lacking such[tbc
cont.]
infrastructure.
Now the North-South corridor will ensure the smoothness of the transportation of goods and services from the local market place to the foreign market place. This also greatly reduces the cost of doing business. I once read an article that some Namibian manufacturers do not find it viable to penetrate the Zambian market due to high transportation costs.
With the North-South corridor catering the transportation needs, we’ll see improved intra-Africa trade and economic integration which is what we need. It will also lead to increased improvement in the regions manufacturing potential and a much stable combined market (COMESA, SADC). This is a wonderful development indeed and I hope it goes on smoothly. Well done
Am not talking about katumbi.I tested a woman recently,i just used to hear that they are sweet. Yes they are,hahaha.
#21. so what does that got to do with the topic at hand?
wiseman-reborn greetings and thanks. What you wrote is quite quite alright in a way. However, I think the so-called North-South Corridor has been open since the time of Cecil Rhodes who had a plan to link Cape Town (South Africa) to Cairo (Egypt) approximately a hundred years ago. The Zambian borders betwen Zimbabwe and Botswana are working very well through the Southern Province while those between Congo DR and Tanzania are also working even at their best. So, what is really new in this North-South Corridor?
On the otherhand, looking at the Angola which has become an undisputed powerhouse economically in Southern Africa, I believe that Zambia can do well by looking to her (Angola) for fast movement of goods and market of our and incoming products. Also, Mozambique is a country to look
The diffrence between Africa & the western world is Action.In Africa we seem to know all th solutions but we spend more time in summits instead of implementing.GOD HELP US!! Kitwe man you are not making sense