Namibia-Botswana railway link proposed

NAMIBIA and Botswana have started talks on building a railway to link the two countries with the rest of the region in a bid to promote trade.

Botswana President Festus Mogae said yesterday although it was a long-term project with a great deal of preparation needed, a rail link between the two countries would boost economic development in the southern African region. He was speaking at the conclusion of his three-day visit to Namibia.Earlier, Mogae and President Hifikepunye Pohamba jointly commissioned the Omaere-Ghanzi substation in the Gobabis area.The substation is used by the two countries to jointly supply power to the outlying areas of Botswana.Mogae said Namibia and Botswana had recently seen development in the mining sector and the demand for coal had increased in his country.The coal needed to be transported and a railway would be the cheapest and safest option, he said.On Wednesday, the two Presidents witnessed the handover of a dry dock to NamPort by the Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Joel Kaapanda, at Walvis Bay.Botswana has started negotiations to buy a plot at the harbour town to put up a dry-dock facility, and a railway link similar to the Trans-Kalahari highway would be a big boost.Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Ministers Marco Hausiku of Namibia and Mompati Merafhe signed a memorandum of understanding on diplomatic consultations while the two Presidents reiterated their commitment to an agreement on the voluntary repatriation of Namibian refugees from Dukwe in Botswana.There are around 1 200 Namibians at the Dukwe camp.While in Namibia, Mogae also opened the new Oshakati Town Council building.He was speaking at the conclusion of his three-day visit to Namibia.Earlier, Mogae and President Hifikepunye Pohamba jointly commissioned the Omaere-Ghanzi substation in the Gobabis area.The substation is used by the two countries to jointly supply power to the outlying areas of Botswana.Mogae said Namibia and Botswana had recently seen development in the mining sector and the demand for coal had increased in his country.The coal needed to be transported and a railway would be the cheapest and safest option, he said.On Wednesday, the two Presidents witnessed the handover of a dry dock to NamPort by the Minister of Works, Transport and Communication, Joel Kaapanda, at Walvis Bay.Botswana has started negotiations to buy a plot at the harbour town to put up a dry-dock facility, and a railway link similar to the Trans-Kalahari highway would be a big boost.Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Ministers Marco Hausiku of Namibia and Mompati Merafhe signed a memorandum of understanding on diplomatic consultations while the two Presidents reiterated their commitment to an agreement on the voluntary repatriation of Namibian refugees from Dukwe in Botswana.There are around 1 200 Namibians at the Dukwe camp.While in Namibia, Mogae also opened the new Oshakati Town Council building.