The Joint Ministerial Committee meeting held recently in Kasane, Botswana, between the Minister of Works and Transport Veikko Nekundi and Botswana's Transport and Infrastructure Minister Noah Salakae ended with an understanding of renewed urgency and optimism over the stalled Trans-Kalahari Railway Project (TKR).

Despite a bilateral agreement in place, no construction has yet occurred on the railway link, meant to drive regional trade and economic growth.

Namibia's Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi noted the region's 4.2 percent economic growth, describing it as sluggish and urging the partners to ensure that the Trans-Kalahari Railway becomes a catalyst for development across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The minister said the initiative has started to gain traction, adding that it holds countless benefits for people of the region.

Botswana's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Noah Salakae, acknowledged both progress and challenges experienced since the last joint discussions, held at Swakopmund in February.

Technical teams are currently on the ground, he said, while the company CPCS Transcom UK Ltd was appointed as a consultant in March, marking a significant step forward for the project.

Despite this praise, Salakae issued a reminder to all that the railway on its own would not be financially viable to cover its enormous N$16 billion price tag.

He thus acknowledged the need for a bold and innovative approach to addressing this challenge.

He proposed reimagining the project as a Trans-Kalahari Development Corridor, a broader economic and trade initiative that goes beyond simply the tracks themselves.

Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to moving beyond decades of planning and turning the Trans-Kalahari Railway Project into a powerful engine of growth, aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area's aspirations.