The combination of the Mosetse-Kazungula-Livingstone line and the Mmamabula-Lephalale rail project will create a continuous rail corridor linking South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), providing a more efficient and cost-effective route for regional trade and access to key markets.
Project overview
Investment opportunity
Seeks project preparation funding to complete feasibility studies for both rail corridors and technical assistance to support project structuring and competitive PPP procurement; Supports capacity building through the establishment of a dedicated Project Management Office within the Ministry of Transport to deliver regional connectivity infrastructure projects and strengthen institutional capacity.
Investment types sought
Grant Funding; Project Preparation Facility; Technical Assistance
Project status
Development stage
Pre-feasibility
Current status / progress to date
A feasibility study is currently underway.
Additional project information
- Lead agency
- Botswana Railways
Expected impact
2500
Jobs created / supported
Economic & development benefits
- Creates a continuous regional rail corridor that enables the movement of bulk commodities at lower cost than road transport across Botswana, Zambia and South Africa
- Improves access to international markets for Zambia's copper and cobalt exports, as well as Botswana's coal, copper, soda ash and other mineral products
- Expands opportunities for agricultural and manufactured goods by improving regional trade connectivity
- Reduces logistics costs and shortens transit times for cross-border freight movements
- Strengthens regional economic integration and trade competitiveness through enhanced rail infrastructure
Climate & resilience benefits
- Produces significantly lower emissions per tonne-kilometre than road transport, supporting a shift of bulk freight to rail
- Supports Botswana's climate commitments by reducing the carbon intensity of regional freight movements
- Reduces exposure to fuel price volatility through more efficient rail-based logistics
- Diversifies regional transport routes and strengthens supply chain resilience
- Reduces reliance on vulnerable transport corridors that may be affected by floods and other climate-related risks
Contact
Contact team
For more information about this project, please contact the Commonwealth Investment Platform team.