SADC Ministers Reaffirm Commitment to Strategic Transport Infrastructure for Regional Connectivity and Economic Growth
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened a Ministerial High-Level Round Table Dialogue focused on infrastructure development along the North-South Corridor on 27 February 2025, in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The North-South Corridor stretches from Durban, South Africa, to Kasumbalesa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, traversing both the Beitbridge and Chirundu One Stop Border Posts in Zimbabwe.
The North-South Corridor represents a crucial economic artery, connecting major shipping ports with centres of industrial productivity. It plays a pivotal role in supporting regional integration and economic development within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The dialogue represented a comprehensive effort to advance infrastructure technologies, achieve tangible outcomes, instil discussions, interactive exchanges, and sharing of critical insights, experiences, and best practices among key stakeholders.
Honourable Felix Tapiwa Mhona, Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe, emphasised the region's commitment to collaborative development. He highlighted the strategic importance of regional cooperation in enhancing productivity, stimulating economic growth, and facilitating the efficient movement of goods and services.
Honourable Mhona particularly underscored Zimbabwe's significant infrastructure initiatives, specifically the Beitbridge Border Post upgrading and modernisation project. "We have committed substantial resources to rehabilitating, widening, and modernising the 600 km Beitbridge-Harare Road, a crucial artery of the North-South Corridor," he explained. The minister also confirmed plans to complete the remaining 350 km stretch from Harare to Chirundu, ensuring seamless transit facilitation.
Mrs Angele Makombo N'tumba, the SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration, reinforced the critical role of infrastructure in regional development. She commended the region's proactive approach to exploring innovative economic corridor development models, aligning with strategic frameworks such as the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2020-2030) and the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDMP).
The dialogue operated within the broader context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the world's largest free trade area. This framework aims to leverage extensive transport and logistics networks, stimulate production through regional value chains, and support manufacturing and agro-processing activities across the SADC region.
Mrs Makombo N'tumba noted the urgent need for increased investment from SADC Member States in critical infrastructure projects. Her recommendations included developing roads, bridges, airports, railway networks, and border crossing facilities to improve transportation connectivity and enhance the functionality of existing infrastructure.
The Ministerial Round Table Dialogue served multiple strategic purposes. It provided a platform for brainstorming financial and technological interventions, exploring opportunities and challenges in economic development, and identifying innovative approaches to using ICT and transport as catalysts for growth.
By fostering collaborative dialogue and strategic planning, the event demonstrated SADC's commitment to creating an interconnected, economically robust Southern African region. The discussions highlighted the transformative potential of infrastructure development in driving regional integration, economic growth, and improved quality of life for SADC citizens.
Editor’s note: A pity there was not more information shared on the North-South Railway Corridor.
