A Strategic Planning Framework for High-Speed Rail Technology in Southern Africa

The African Integrated High-Speed Railway Network is a flagship project of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. This project aims to promote connectivity and trade across Africa. The project has two deadlines, in 2033 and 2043, in which all the proposed routes are planned to be completed. Literature suggests that no development has yet been conducted or progress made in support of this project in the Southern African region. In this paper a strategic planning framework is presented to assist Southern African role players with considerations and decisions related to the construction of the Southern African phase of this project. To develop the strategic planning framework, the current state of transport in Africa are investigated. The data collected from literature sets the basis for the study and identifies benefits and challenges of high-speed rail. An analysis is included to determine the viability for the construction of the network, particularly in Southern Africa and interviews are conducted with subject matter experts from the rail industry to narrow down strategies for role players who will be involved in the project. The strategic planning framework ultimately provides insight about railway infrastructure requirements, target passengers, the proposed routes, and roll-out consideration. It also highlights the benefits and challenges related to the Southern African phase of the project and the construction’s viability and potential impact for Southern Africa. Key conclusions from the framework suggest that the project is deemed viable and will support a growing economy in Africa, however the proposed routes should be re-evaluated through further research and that consideration should be given to lowering the proposed speeds for the network and aiming to target a diversified passengers base.

I. Introduction

Efficient and well-maintained transport infrastructure supports economic growth by allowing for movement of people and goods between different countries which facilitates improved trade. It also allows for increased job opportunities which, as a result, lowers unemployment rates [1], [2], [3], [4]. The underdevelopment of transportation systems in Africa is one of the main reasons for poor development in comparison to other continents. This is evident from the intraregional trade in Africa which is less than 15%, compared to North America (48%), Asia (58%) and Europe (67%) [5]. Exporters and importers typically need 50% more time for transporting goods in Africa, than for example, in East Asia [6]. Congested and poorly maintained roads together with poor transportation infrastructure contribute to this [7]. Transport costs in Africa are among the highest in the world, which hinders its ability to increase trade and development. Sea transport is seven time less expensive than land transport, and while Africa is trading 80% of its goods via sea transport, many African landlocked countries experience costly transport fees to move their goods to the nearest harbour. Specifically in Southern Africa, 50% of the countries are landlocked [8]. Also, passenger transport in Africa, is predominantly done by foot or by road (e.g. cars, minibuses) which is dangerous, while air travel is too expensive for the majority of people of Africa [9], [10], [11].